The Fool, the Huntress, and the War
by Rwes
Summary: Three unsuspecting souls have been reborn into a new and chaotic world: the soul bound to death, the soul seeking truth, and the soul that longs for rebellion, all forced into a silent war that spanned Remnant for centuries. And at the same time, four young girls begin their paths to achieving their dreams. The wheels of fate have shifted, guiding the world into a new direction.
1. Once upon a time

**Author's note: I've had this idea crossover in mind for a while. Just a little sidenote: the wild cards will be a little bit ooc than how the fandom usually views them as they'll have their own strange quirks and personalities in the fic. Other then that, I'll draw a proper cover for this fic soon instead of the joke chibis. Please tell me your thoughts.**

**Also, please welcome ShinyKyu as this fic's beta reader! They will be helping me to keep this fic experience as error free possible! Go check them out!**

* * *

** Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time **

A shimmering ray of light shot across the dead heavens, igniting a crumbling world of scattered gray and ruined earth. A great power had broken from atop the unmoving emerald tower, and yet just as the gleaming hope had so aggressively eaten away at the blackness, it too was swallowed by the never-ending abyss of darkness.

The ground beneath started to break as large pieces of earth began to be ripped and torn apart by the sheer force of gravity and launched into the chaotic air. Buildings twisted and warped, streets faded and withered, and lands that once flourished with life were now as barren as the arctic wastelands.

And in all this otherworldly carnage, watched a surreal, demonic eye from the fallen moon.

* * *

"Gah!"

"M-Minato, are you ok?" A shy voice echoed from the void. He opened up his eyes to strange, forgien surroundings. A cold sweat had slowly started to rolled down his back.

"Y-yeah…." The bluenette murmured groggily, gazing at the worried girl in front of him. Her large silver eyes shook and her thin brows furrowed upwards. He felt her observe him with a mixture of both worry and confusion.

"Are you sure you're not sick? I can call the others for help—" The girl fumbled in her words, scrambling for an appropriate reply, only to confuse the blunette even more.

"Ruby, I don't look that ill, do I?" Minato cocked an eyebrow, feigning an expression of confidence, forming a wide smirk on his face and transitioning from his previously tired-looking figure. Ruby was acting strange today. He had fallen asleep before, but not once had she ever questioned his cover.

"Well… you did seem kind of pale," The young girl reasoned. "Besides, I know you're hiding something behind that smirk. Yang always has one when she's up to no good."

"Oh? You mean like this?" Minato's face only widened more, but this time, it seemed to infect the girl as well. Suddenly, an intense wave of energy swept through the air as the young man pulled out two brightly-colored pieces of paper, which caused his friend to squeal and propel herself into the air. Her silver eyes started to shimmer in the evening sun at the sight of the large, bold letters that were printed onto the small strips of paper.

"A-a-are those tickets to the lastest Vale Weapon's Expo?!" Ruby carefully inspected the tickets in the boy's hands, as if checking if the world at present was nothing but a fleeting dream.

"In case you're wondering, these were the last ones left before they were all sold out." Minato watched the girl pinch both of her cheeks in sheer disbelief before he felt her grip onto his arms.

"Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Minato, you're the best! I've been wanting to go ever since I was a kid! How did you get these?! They're super expensive!" She started to ruthlessly shake his arms up and down before embracing him in a tight bear hug.

"O-okay! Y-you can let go now!" Despite Ruby's small and frail-looking figure, her embrace had the collapsing force of several bear traps, which tightly locked around and squeezed the bluenette's diaphragm, causing him to struggle and fight for a breath of fresh air.

"Oh! Uh, s-sorry!" Ruby sheepishly backed away, realizing that she was slowly suffocating her friend.

"T-thanks!" Minato took a few breaths to recover, "I thought these would be a nice way to say goodbye. I'll be going to Beacon soon, so I took up a few more part-time jobs." He watched the girl's face mellow at the inevitable news, "We won't hang out like we used to.…" The excitement that had previously occupied her eyes had quietly faded, leaving a gentle sadness behind.

"I'll… miss you guys in Signal when you're gone. Both you and Yang. School won't be the same without you two around." Ruby gave an awkward smile, as memories of time gone by began to flood her mind. "No more lab explosions, random street brawls, or homework answer-swap sessions…." The huntress-in-training listed off, the last one being especially disheartening as Minato would regularly gave her answers to the hardest of questions.

"Come on, cheer up, Ruby," Minato faked the most genuine-looking smile he could, waving the two Expo tickets around. "You'll be in Beacon in no time. Now, how about we go see what amazing new weapons they have on display? Time never waits."

"R-right! I really, really want to see what they'll show in the demonstrations this year! And it'll be in person! I'm so excited!" Ruby, instead of wallowing in despair, chose to drag her friend by the arm and run off into the distance, fueled by a light sense of joy and excitement.

Minato followed Ruby into the sprawling jungle of the city crowd, and yet, unlike the smiling girl dashing forward into the sea of people, he had dropped his facade of a smile. Instead, what remained was a blank and tired face, no longer housing a soul in its broken, hollow shell. He saw Ruby wave to him in the abyss of pedestrians, which he responded back to with another of his comical smirks.

The cheerful girl ran off once again as the boy followed. Unbeknownst to him was the single teardrop and troubled expression that she had witnessed on his slumbering face just a few moments ago.

* * *

"Whoa! That plasma sword was so cool, oh my gosh!" Ruby spun around in circles through the city's streets, "Did you see how they used it to slay that Grimm? It went like this! And this, and this!" The bubbly huntress-in-training made several hand gestures, desperately trying to mimic the skilled movements demonstrated by the participants at the crowded Expo.

"Hmmm, I'd have much preferred the gun that shot out an entire picnic table," Minato said seriously. How the creators of that amazing contraption managed to cram an entire day's worth of food into a gun was an impressive mystery.

"What? No way! That sword way more awesome," the girl countered, mildly offended that anyone would choose a picnic gun over a sword manifested out of pure plasma energy.

Minato pulled open a glass door to the chime of an old brass bell, stepping into a local Dust shop in the area. Crystals of red, blue, yellow, and so on glittered in the light of the setting sun. Boxes and shelves were all stocked full of an almost endless variety of Dust. "Hey old man, long time no see," the blunette greeted the lone older man by the front store counter.

"Ah, Minato, Ruby! I still have some of that custom Dust for ya." The graying store keeper brought up a box full of Dust ammo and other assorted colorful crystals. "Here, you two have these free of charge. I heard you were graduating from Signal." The older man gave a kind smile to the boy.

"No, no! Mr. Clayden! We can't take all this!" Ruby tried to push the box of Dust back at the man, "Can we at least pay this at half price? It doesn't seem right to just take this…."

"No, it's alright, kids. You two have always been helping me around the Dust shop. This is the best I can offer to help you out. Save a little of that change for fun, yeah?" The storekeeper stood firmly on his offer.

"How about this?" Minato perked up, drawing the other two's attention. "Since Mr. Clayden insists on this being a gift and refuses a monetary offer, how about we help him around the store?" He turned to Ruby, "We won't be getting this dust completely for free, but instead at the cost of manual labor, so it's a win-win."

"That's a great idea, Minato! Mr. Clayden, can we please help out around your store? Please, please, please?" Ruby's eyes sparkled, displaying the softest of puppy eyes that could win over any human or faunus.

It didn't take long for the old man to cave in to her demands. "Alright, alright… you two can start organizing those boxes of Dust on the back shelf." He gestured to a still unopened, fresh shipment of cargo in the back corner.

Ruby sprinted to the back, gathering as many Dust crystals as she could, and quickly started to stock the shelves. Minato gave the storekeeper a nod before picking up several large shipments on his own. Despite his rather small stature compared to most of the other men in the city, he was still able to rival the strength of their strongest. Back in his days in Signal, he was often compared to the likes of Yang, who was able to easily lift several students up into the air simultaneously and without much effort.

"This goes here, right?" Ruby mumbled to herself, sorting through and organizing the Dust crystals in an ideal order. Minato felt a faint smile run across his face at the warm atmosphere of the humble Dust shop. It was the little things he could do to bring cheer and satisfaction to others that drove his tired soul. It gave him something to look forward to in his days in this foreign land that was not his own. And just as he thought he would bask in another moment of blissful peace, it was quickly shattered by a cold and piercing voice.

"Hand over the Dust, old man!" The sound of a cocked gun and raw steel passed through the tiny storefront. Minato grabbed onto the hilt of his weapon, hiding himself behind a large shelf of crystals. From what he could make out, he saw several black-suited men and what appeared to be their ring leader all aiming their weapons at the defenseless old man.

"Crystals, clean and uncut!" Another demanded, holding a sizeable burlap sack and gesturing to the shaking man. The weak figure of Mr. Clayden was both overshadowed and overpowered by the crude, suited men.

"P-please… you can take all the Dust you want, but leave some for me in the back! Business is tough nowadays—!" A loud bang rang in the distance, shattering a shelf made of wood and glass, only to be followed by a weak gasp.

"Did I say you could make demands, old man? Come on, we're robbing this store of every last drop!" A gleeful yet condescending voice chimed from the counter. Minato could feel a boiling rage start to bubble up from the pit of his stomach. He could see Mr. Clayden nervously gaze back in both his and Ruby's directions.

"Get away from Mr. Clayden, you creeps!" Suddenly, almost from out of nowhere, a crimson blur rushed past several of the criminals and rammed into one of them with the mouth of her rifle, taking several shots at the aggressor's chest that eventually sent him tumbling and crashing into the city streets. Soon, he was followed by another that was equally thrashed and ripped by the blade of a large, crimson scythe.

Ruby watched as the rest of the men pulled out their guns. She was ready to blast another of the suited men into oblivion when the ginger of the group forcefully grabbed the old storekeeper and aimed his cane at his head.

"Move again, kid, and his head goes flying with ya." The ginger's words were as cold as ice.

"M-Mr. Clayden!" The girl froze.

"Ruby! Don't listen to him—"

"Quiet you—!"

"Zio!" As if the single word was enchanted with some sort of magic, all of the lights of the shop cracked and shattered, shrouding the entire building in a cloak of darkness.

"What the—!?" The previous signs of the old man's presence were gone. Instead, it was replaced by a breath of hot steel that ripped into his side, with his head being gripped by a crushing force that slammed his body through the glass and onto the outside pavement. However, the assault wasn't over as his attacker started mercilessly bashing his face into the concrete, again and again in a never ending cycle.

One of the criminals raised their own gun and aimed at the two in the street, but was rushed down and earned himself a roundhouse kick in the head that sent him slamming into two of his comrades. Ruby, fueled by an equally raw anger, sped into a chaotic whirlwind of crimson rose petals, rushing her attackers into the cold air, opening up the blade of her scythe, catching and piling each of their bodies in its deadly grip, and sending a bullet hell into their weakening Auras before forcefully throwing them into the side of a hard, concrete building.

"Threaten someone again, and you won't just leave with a broken Aura…." Minato darkly whispered, his body weight still pressed onto the dying ginger. Cold, silver eyes dug into the helpless man on the ground.

"Tch!" Do you know… who you're messing with, kid…?" Despite earning a deadly blow to his body and head, the criminal on the floor still refused to admit defeat.

"Do you think I care?" The bluenette snapped back, twisting the ginger's arm and causing another yelp to sound.

"Minato, Ruby, you both alright?" Clayden called from his storefront in worry, seeing the pinned ring leader and several suited men nailed into a nearby building. However, instead of a formal reply, all were cut off by a sudden warm breeze filling the air and a raise in temperature of the pavement below.

"Haha, you'll see. You'll see soon enough…." Minato felt a chilling sensation run down his spine, the hairs on the back of his neck rising as the hot wind and choking air began to serve as a dire warning. Something big, something monstrous was coming as the dull clouds in the sky started to shift and dance while sounding out loud claps of thunder.

"What the hell are you going on about?" The enraged bluenette began pressuring the ginger, only to be met with a shrewd smirk and nervous laughter, almost as if the man was in fear himself.

"Ruby, move!" A howl of death shattered the unmoving silence, as a red-hot pillar of spiraling fire headed toward the small girl. Minato twisted around as fast as he could to save her. Ruby transformed into a crimson ball of petals to rush of the out way, but it was too late. Minato boosted himself with a Heat Riser before bolting off into the direction of his friend, using his body as a shield to cover her, crossing his arms and bracing for the blast.

"Minato! No!" Ruby was pushed out of the way of the flaming blast that rocked and rattled the earth beneath them, sending a forceful shockwave below the girl as she watched her friend become engulfed in a ball of fire that ate and ravaged the world around her. Her eyes began to swell, wet with tears, and her legs began to melt into noodles.

"See, Little Red? This is what you get for messing with the wrong crowd!" The broken gringer from before slowly crawled up from the ground, a mad fear in his crazed eyes, "Now that you've seen us, I'm afraid we'll have to end you as well. You know, to not get the word out—"

"Surt!" The scorching wall of flame from before started to swirl and morph, with the ground and earth shifting even more so than it previously did, as a massive pressure began to emerge from the raging fire. What was once an uncontrolled blaze had transformed into a graceful, tamed torrent of calm fire. Minato emerged from his golden cocoon, his silver eyes now glowing a deep red as a colossal humanoid charged the remaining embers in its blackened blade.

"M-Minato!" Ruby screamed in relief, but also in fright as another blast headed their way. She could make out an evil glow in the dark.

Twin tornadoes of embers began to spin and manifest around the bluenette, which soon transformed into a concentrated blast that started to melt his surroundings as they were heated with the energy of several suns.

"Ravage them!" Minato slammed down the ocean of blazing hell, which collided with an equally powerful blast of fire from the dark. The bluenette felt his feet slowly start to form a dent in the melting pavement and he charged even more energy into the blast as it started to push the other flame back. He pressured more and more, being reminded of the threats from earlier, until he had finally had enough of the little charade.

"Ragnarok…"

Roman Torchwick gaped, his mouth slightly ajar, and his eyes filled with a deep dread comparable to only those who had come close to the most gruesome of deaths. He watched the world slowly crawl to a halt as the river of flames from the bluenette doubled in size and overpowered the one from the darkness. For a second, he felt heat start to eat away at his clothes, and his field of view start to go red. However, just as he thought fate had made him meet his end, a flash of blue engulfed his form until there was no trace of his presence left on the battlefield.

Minato dropped to his knees, clutching his head in a searing pain, as a mixture of dead exhaustion and mounting stress forced its way into his system and spread like a deadly venom rushing through his veins that shut down most of his bodily functions and melted his mind. His previously calm state became a panicked one and his breaths quickened as the air around him became thinner and thinner and harder to take in. His body felt light and his vision began to morph and twist, distorting the burning world around him.

"Minato! What's wrong?! Please, Minato!" The boy failed to listen, the embers around him starting to fade.

Ruby tried supporting the boy, tears streaming down her cheeks as panic laced her eyes. Shock and astonishment drowned her in a sea of disbelief and fear— there was no way any of that just occurred. There was no way her friend was capable of what he just did. There was no way that ginger's comrade had that much destructive power.

In the small girl's attempts to revive the bluenette, she barely noticed a new figure approaching her. A blonde, bespectacled woman began to stroll closer, leveling herself with the young huntress-in-training.

* * *

"Are you feeling better now, Ms. Rose?" A kind man in green came to the girl, sitting down in the waiting room of a small clinic, holding two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Y-yeah. But is he okay? He looked like he was having a panic attack and—" She desperately pleaded with the man for answers, her face a tired mess from the battle before.

"Please calm yourself, Ms. Rose. Mr. Arisato is pulling through. In fact, they have just determined him to be fit for release." He offered a cup to the huntress-in-training, who gladly accepted the drink along with the pleasant news.

"T-thank you, Mr. Ozpin. I-if you and Ms. Glynda weren't there to help us, then I dunno what we would've done.…" Ruby said shyly, still processing the chaotic events of the day.

"There is no need to thank us. It was the right thing to do, after all."

"Hey, Mr. Ozpin…" The girl gazed at the man, her hands balling into weak fists.

"Yes?"

"You train huntsmen and huntresses at Beacon Academy, right?" He nodded at her bizarre question. He noticed her entire body shaking.

"Of all the people that trained at Beacon…" She took some time to think, "... i-is there anyone with a power… like that? I-I mean are there Semblances that are that… destructive?" Ruby felt an invisible weight weigh over her heart. Not only had her long time friend survived and fired off a blast that could annihilate an entire fleet sent by Atlas, but their attacker had almost pulverized the both of them into charred cinders on the cold city floor.

"No. I must apologize, but there are no such fantastical Semblances at my academy," Ozpin admitted in honesty.

"Then, do you have any idea what they were?" That otherworldly summon by Minato, the mysterious figure in the dark; it all felt so foreign to her. It was almost as if they were powers belonging to a different reality.

"Magic."

"M-magic?" Although she had arrived at a similar conclusion earlier, she had denied such outlandish thoughts.

"Yes, Magic. Powers manifested without the aid of Dust. What you just witnessed tonight, Ms. Rose, is something that needs to be hidden from the public eye." Ozpin's tone grew darker as he finished his last words. The vibe he gave off was no longer that of a simple man. He observed the young huntress-in-training, knowing her face and expression signaled the lost question of 'why.'

"B-but wouldn't that type of power help the people? It can wipe away entire colonies of Grimm. Wouldn't that make the world a safer place?" She thought back to the death of her mother and the general bloodshed huntsmen had to endure to keep the country safe. A pinch of silent anger started to form in the back of her mind. Would her mother still be alive if such powers existed?

"Yes, I won't deny that such powers, when used in the right way, would do plenty of good. However, what do you think would happen if such destructive abilities were to fall into the wrong hands?" Ozpin explained softly, the wisps of steam from his drink disappearing into the cold air.

"The opposite would happen and… the attack from today," Ruby mumbled in realization.

"Precisely. The news of such unreal power would only induce mass unrest and panic. It would also go against most of human culture and countless religions," the headmaster added, sipping some of the last of his coffee.

"Then, what about Minato? He used magic right? Are you going to still admit him to Beacon?"

She watched him with a questioning eye, which amused the headmaster.

"Yes? Why wouldn't I admit him?"

"You won't do anything weird, right?" The gaze she held toward the man became increasingly uncomfortable for him.

"Weird? Pardon me, but can you please elaborate?" Ozpin returned an equally peculiar eye. Her next reply would both stun and frighten him with her dark imagination.

"Haul him off into a wacko lab somewhere and experiment on his body to see how he uses magic." Her tone was flat, dead, and devoid of any signs of life.

"P-please don't say such outlandish things, Ms. Rose. I assure you, he will be treated just as normally as any other student entering Beacon," the headmaster coughed, choking on the very last of his drink.

"Hey, Mr. Ozpin?"

"Yes?"

"May I have a request?"

"What of?" 'What could this small girl possibly ask for?' the headmaster wondered.

"I know this may sound rude but… can I attend Beacon along with Minato?" Ruby stood up from her seat with determined eyes, glittering silver meeting dark brown. "I-it's not that I want a free pass into Beacon…. l'll even go through the entrance exam if you want, but—" she straightened up and carefully picked her words, "I don't want something like this to ever happen to anyone ever again. And since I'm the only one who knows about his abilities, I want to help Minato, too."

What Ozpin had thought was a mere young girl minutes ago, had suddenly vanished before him as he noticed the soft light radiating from her silver-colored eyes. She no longer held the presence of a child. Rather, it was that of a grown and experienced huntress of many years. The fire from the young girl's eyes was enough to momentarily shock the headmaster, as it had been many years since he had experienced someone who was so passionate in stopping the evils of the world.

"And what if I refused? What will you do then?" He asked flatly. Will she start to throw the temper tantrum of a child? Or will she prevail and find another option?

"Then I can't assure what you told me today won't get out." Ruby continued her firm stance. Seconds ticked by, minutes passed, and all activity in the world seemed to halt. Then it happened.

"Fine. As of today, Ms. Rose, you shall be known as one of my students."

"R-really Mr—! I mean, Professor Ozpin?!"

"Yes, speaking as headmaster of Beacon Academy, I hereby admit you to my school."

"T-Thank you so much!" Ruby cheered, "I'll make sure to do my best! I won't let you or anyone down!"

"But, before we officially register you, I want to lay down a few special ground rules. First, you must honor your promise of protecting Minato," the man started to list off. "Second, you must study diligently and fulfill your duties as a huntress in training. And third and finally…" Ruby waited excitedly for the headmaster to finish, "don't forget to have fun. Despite your dreams, you are still a student. Your youth won't last forever."

Minato put a headphone to his ear, a small smile on his face. He could hear the chatter of an enthusiastic girl and an older man from the other side of the hall.

He was happy for his friend.

* * *

"Was it really wise to inform her about the existence of magic?" Glynda's face creased in annoyance, letting her frustrations be known by the headmaster.

"Well, it was for the best outcome. Withholding such information from Ms. Rose would have only damaged her in the future. Besides, I trust her to uphold her promise." Ozpin shut the door to the ship.

"And Mr. Arisato?"

Ozpin reached into his bag, pulling out a thick stack of neatly-stapled papers and went over several key sections. "I had the clinic run a few tests. It seems like Mr. Arisato's magical capabilities are completely detached from his Semblance and Aura."

"So his magic works on a completely different set of laws…" the woman concluded, narrowing her eyes. From the several years of research Altas had on Aura and the magic from the previous Fall Maiden, it was implied that one's Semblance, magic, and so on were all tied with one's Aura, and yet the lab results of the bluenette came up negative despite what all of their years of effort said.

"I would assume as well. But either way, I think we may have just found two possible counters to her…."

"Two silver-eyed students. One of them being destructive enough to even overshadow the current Fall Maiden." Glynda's eyes drooped, feeling sorry for the boy. "Such chaotic power will only bring misfortune to him in the long run."

"Yes, and that's why we must play our part, Glynda. We cannot let him fall to the same fate as Amber." Ozpin gestured to the craft for take off, commanding it to lift off from the earth and fly off into the empty sky. There was no celebration, no relief, and no cheer in finding a potential solution to a never-ending problem. Ozpin sighed in tired contemplation, staring out into the cold, starless heavens. Did his weapons of this silent war really have to be… two innocent youth?

* * *

A faint glow shone across the calm, black waters, reflecting specks of the shattered crescent moon. Creatures of Grimm scavenged and clawed through high rugged mountains and dead earth, gnawing and dragging behind the remains of what was once alive. Bleached bones and withered fabric littered the land, leaving behind only faded remnants of a fleeting past.

In this bleak and barren world lived a woman. She stood silently in the grand hall of a large castle, with skin as pale as death and eyes of glowing crimson that illuminated her in the peaceful darkness. She directed her blank gaze toward the two smaller figures before her, a young dark-haired female and a fair ginger-haired man.

And in the pale palm of her hand floated a small, blue pixie.


	2. Of Fools and Huntresses

**Author's Notes and Replies: **

**Here are the sketches for Minato, Yu, and Akira's outfit designs for this fic: sta . sh/0kvtvjoeicz **

**paste the stash link and connect the dots (Minato only one has sword as of now) it's to deviantart **

**Nattycawt: Thank you!**

**Guest: You'll find out eventually hehe**

**foxchick1: Hope you enjoy the ride!**

**Robby the Cyber Warrior: Thank you! I'm really excited to tackle this challenge. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**EyelessEmpire13: Thanks for the head ups, things will start to pick up soon. Although this maybe slower than most others in terms of chap vs event progression cause I like to explore the scenes alot. **

**This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I had to cut out its second half due to estimating that the finished product might turn out to be at best 10-12K plus. I want to keep these a manageable and digestible lengthen to prevent too much event cluttering and so on. At least at the start. Chapter 3 will be coming very soon and will be very fight heavy. Once again, please tell me what you'll thought. **

* * *

** Chapter 2: Of Fools and Huntresses**

"Late last night, Vale authorities were called to a Dust robbery gone wrong in downtown Vale when a building-sized explosion hit the air. So far, police have detained several armed men that are suspected of carrying out the operation and are currently under strict police investigation. According to the Vale police, the blazing inferno witnessed by multiple city residents was caused by a sudden ignition of several tons of stolen Fire Dust that quickly lost control under the suspect's possession while escaping from a local huntsman in the area."

Click.

"It was huge! I was coming home with my friends and we saw these guys being chased by another guy—"

Click.

"So what's your take on the Fire Dust incident, Dr. Quartz? There's been some neat rumors spreading around on the subject. From government cover-ups, to aliens, to even a new ultra-dangerous species of Grimm!"

Click.

* * *

"Oh, I'm so proud of my little sister going to Beacon!" A jolly blonde cheered, quickly wrapping her arms around a red-hooded girl and a tired-looking bluenette, clumping them together in a tight hug. "And with my brawl buddy too!"

"Y-Yang! S-stop! You're squishing me!" Ruby gasped for air, trying to escape from her sister's death grip. It was more potent than the combined strength of ten car-sized Grimm.

"Agreed! You're killing us!" Minato tried to slip away, before being forcefully dragged into another one of the older girl's roughhousing attempts. It was only when the two admitted defeat and stopped their futile struggles were they released.

"So, Ruby, how'd you convince the Headmaster to get you into Beacon?" Yang couldn't help but ask.

"Well, uh…" Suddenly feeling a heavy pressure on her chest, Ruby nervously fumbled for the right words, unsure of what to say and feeling the increasingly eager glare of her sister slowly encroach on the secrets of her mind.

"Don't tell me you challenged him to a fight." Yang gave a joking chuckle, though she became more serious as she continued to watch the girl struggle to form a coherent sentence. "You didn't actually do that, did you?"

"We ran into a leftover gang of Dust robbers on our way home and trashed them," Minato said, reciting the words Ozpin had left for him and Ruby to use in their story. "Headmaster Ozpin just happened to catch that exchange."

"You two did what?" The blonde asked in disbelief. "You're telling me that you two took down the leftovers from that big Dust explosion?" Surprise, awe, and intrigue all started to take shape on her face as she pressed the two for more answers.

"Y-yeah! Professor Ozpin was really impressed! It did take a full-fledged huntsman to stop them, after all!" Ruby squeaked, praying that her sister would accept their story, "We first went like this! And then this!" She then nervously went on to portray a flawed retelling of the fictional fight between her and the criminals, waving and swinging her hands in the air.

"Luckily, we were able to stop them before any more freak fires could happen." Before anyone in the small group could put in another word, they heard a new voice break into their conversion.

"Did someone perhaps mention something about a large fire?" A fair-haired boy joined the three, adorned in a uniform of what could only be described as the signature colors of Atlas, along with an obsidian blade strapped to his belt.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence between the youths, but it was not long before that same tension was pierced by the high-pitched cheer of a young girl.

"W-whoa! Is that a Lighting Dust-infused katana?!" Ruby's shout echoed throughout the entire ship, drawing the attention of several other passengers that all focused in on the new arrival in question. The young huntress-in-training bounced up and down, observing the sheath of the black-and-gold blade held by the new male. "Can I please, please see it, Mister? I promise I'll be careful!" Ruby begged, her eyes glittering like stars.

"S-sure. If you'd like." The stranger reached for his sword, gently grabbing the hilt to reveal a long, shining katana with blinding gold that reflected the rays of the sun from the sky. Its light spread across the room, leaving a soft yellow glow to slice across the ship's gray tiles, creating a rift between the three and the new arrival.

"It's sooooo pretty!" To say Ruby was mesmerized by the beauty of the sword was an understatement as she was blinded by its light. Gingerly brushing her hands across the smooth cold steel of the katana, she could already tell of the pristine quality of its build, from the passionate craftsmanship of the surface details to each and every one of the weapon's functions as an Eastern blade.

"Thanks! I helped make it myself" The stranger said shyly, instinctively taking a few steps back from the zealous girl.

"Does it have a name? What was crafting this like? Where did you—"

"Ruby!" Before the red huntress could terrorize the stranger, she heard two familiar people call her name.

"Oh! Uh… sorry! I tend to go overboard sometimes…. Your weapon is very cool." She turned back, finding both an annoyed Minato and an embarrassed Yang, both adamantly crossing their arms. Soon, a deep pink coated her face at making a fool of herself once again.

"No, no guys, it's quite alright," the stranger tried to assure the others with a kind smile, "I enjoy looking at weapons too. Reason why I made this katana." He put a hand to his head, rubbing his hair in a gentle back and forth motion.

"Really? You like weapons too?" In the span of a heart beat, a large weight dropped to the floor and a crimson scythe made entirely out of steel that included an attached firearm of some kind appeared before the crowd, its sharp blade just barely cutting into the tiles of the floor as its elegant crescent locked into place. "This is Crescent Rose! She's… kinda my baby. I made her myself!" Ruby said, almost looking at the sniper rifle as if it was her first-born child.

"Wow, the detail is incredible. And you made it yourself?" Judging by the hooded girl's appearance, the stranger suspected her of being younger than her peers. And yet, her scythe was just about one of the most impressively constructed weapons he had seen in years. Then, another set of steel sounded and came to life.

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Yang stretched out her arm and fired a blank round into the air from Ember Celica, lighting up a miniature fireball that exploded in the sunny morning air. It was not until a few security guards made their presence known did she hide away her prized golden gauntlets. "Ember Celica— oops!"

"That way!" Minato pointed in a random direction, before pulling an odd looking blade from his back. It held a powerful yet unexplainable presence, as if it had a life of its own. The sword, on the surface, seemed to resemble any other, if not were for the golden cup-shaped guard and the many specks of white feathers decorating its sides in a brilliant spiral. "Mine's nothing special, but it does the job."

"Are you kidding? That sword has been giving me the creeps ever since the first day we met." Not to mention the other strange things the bluenette had managed to do with that blade by his side; it had been years and Yang still couldn't figure out why that sword gave her such an eerie vibe. It was almost as if her instincts were trying to inform her of something.

"A pressuring vibe huh?" Minato could feel the other male's gaze linger on his weapon, "What's its name, if you don't mind me asking?" The vibe felt familiar.

"Lucifer."

"Lucifer?" Despite the male's tranquil demeanor, his heart skipped a beat at the ancient name, for it was not native to Remnant. "Well, mine's named Izanagi."

"Izanagi? That's pretty neat. Say, I'm Minato Arisato, and you?" It was his turn to be rattled. Minato stretched out a hand, which the other gratefully accepted, giving a firm shake, with serious eyes locked onto one another. Silver met silver and the world around them seemed to wither away, leaving nothing but those two in an infinite void, each fighting a thick tension to speak out a burning question from their minds.

"Yu Narukami, and what about you guys?" But just as great will had prompted the heated exchange, fear had swooped in to swifty snatch it away.

"Ruby Rose!"

"Yang Xiao Long. Nice to meet cha'!"

* * *

"So you're from Atlas? Why not just go for Atlas Academy?" Yang stepped off of the ship with the others, watching hundreds of others stream from the large sky vessels. Students from all sorts of backgrounds flooded the school grounds, transforming the once quiet campus into a flurry of traffic and commotion. Crowds gathered in zeal as people started to show off their weapons and helpful seniors guided the new arrivals into a grand assembly hall.

"They're a little too strict for my tastes. It feels more like a bootcamp than an actual school." Yu stepped out of the way for a few girls to pass. "I got tired of that just attending one of their junior training academies."

"I heard they force their students to be as rigid and lifeless as the androids they produce. I don't blame you for avoiding that fate." Minato joked, crossing his arms behind his head in a relaxed manner, a bit of snarkiness in his words.

"Which one? Beacon is known for its haunted dorms. Legend says there's even a dark, dark secret hiding under the school," Yu said nonchalantly, earning a frightened look from Ruby.

"H-haunted? You mean, as in ghosts and dead people?" The younger girl shivered at the thought of encountering any form of supernatural presence at night. Grimm and magic were at least tangible matters she could fight against; ghosts were a whole other story.

"Yep, the dorms that housed the first huntsmen that grad—"

"What are you doing?! Do you know who I am?! Get away from me, you dirty Faunus!" Before he could scare the hooded huntress-in-training any further, he was interrupted by the harsh yell of a female student and rough grunt of a male from nearby. Standing a few feet away from the freshmen group was a petite, elegantly-dressed girl clad completely in white, with only a few areas of red to provide some sort of contrast to her figure. Disgust showed all over her face as if she had just come across the world's ugliest horrors on the floor, and beside her, on the ground, sat a male cat Faunus.

"Hey, is that something you should say to someone?" A dark haired student with a large black bow atop her head then came to the boy's aid, irateness written all over her pristine visage and a small book held in her hands.

"What? Why are you defending this... this thing!" The well-dressed girl crossed her arms, stomping her foot on the ground, her face cringing in childish disgust. How could anyone be sane enough to defend such a filthy creature?

"He's not a thing! He's a person!" The dark haired girl spat back, clearly becoming more enraged, her hands balling into tight fists and a pain unlike anyone other ringing out in her voice.

"Are you brain dead? Faunus are the scum of the earth! They're criminals, liars, and cheats—"

"Shut it!" Without warning, a loud boom racked the air, not unlike the deep roar of thunder. The arguing pair could feel a slight wind coming from a katana wielding boy. Yu firmly approached the two with what could only be described as bitter rage. He then chided the girl in white, "How about you look at your own company first before calling others monsters!"

"W-what?!" Words as hot as molten iron seared into her chest, sending a wave of crushing pain rippling across her entire being. Her cheeks began to flush and the whites of her eyes turned a soft shade of pink. "I-it's not like the Narukami family is any better! You guys practically copy the same business practices established by my father!" The snow-white girl took a few steps back, pointing her finger at the boy, accusing him of the same sins that her family had committed.

"Which is why I don't walk around calling other people criminals and cheats. You're just perpetuating the same rumors and stories people have been passing around about the Atlas elite for years and giving them solid ground to stand on." Unlike his previous soft and gentle self, the boy held no kindness or well-meaning in his words.

"Why you—!" Insults, threats, and so on clogged her throat, but no sound came through because for the first time in her life, she really didn't know what to say. A sense of vulnerability washed over her like a bucket of cold water as she felt hundreds of eyes judging her from afar, a sizeable crowd beginning to gather in the distance. Their whispers, rumors, stories and hate all formed an unbreakable wall around her, trapping her heart and soul, making her feel like she was going to burst. "You're going to regret this, Yu Narukami! I'll make sure you rue this day!" She screeched like a caged and frightened animal, before quickly running away.

"Hey, you alright?" Ruby reached out a hand to the male Faunus, a worried expression lacing her face.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Instead of taking her hand, the dark-haired male stood up on his own, holding a bitter frown that didn't seem to change upon being offered help. In fact, he showed neither contempt nor gratitude to the others for getting rid of his verbal aggressor.

"Is there something wrong…?" Ruby asked confused, feeling daggers in the Faunus boy's eyes. She then stepped back.

"Yu Narukami, why did you just help a Faunus?" The boy pulled out a sharp white dagger, its steel slashing through the tranquil air, and pointed it at the gray-haired male. "Aren't you with the Atlas elite? What do you intend to gain by helping me?"

"Dude! What's your problem?! We just helped you!" Yang snapped at the lone figure, raising her fists in a battle stance, while both Ruby and Minato did their best to hold her back.

"Nothing, I only want humans and Faunus to be treated equally." Yu said, slightly holding up his hands to show he was unwilling to fight the other. However, instead of coming to a fair understanding as his reply intended, it only angered the dark-haired boy. His cat-like ears shot up along with his messy raven hair, his face creased and his brows furrowed downward.

"So you were only using my heritage as a leverage for your own social status," the cat Faunus spat venomously. "Tch, you're just as vile as the rest of them."

"Hey! Come back! Come back here, you jerk!" Yang flared up her Semblance, flaming yellow Aura surrounding her figure as her eyes became a bright shade of hot crimson. She struggled to reach the cat Faunus who had turned his back, screaming, kicking, and fighting the people that locked her in place.

"Sis! Please stop! Punching him will get you nowhere!" Ruby screamed, barely avoiding a rage-fueled fist while clinging to her older sister.

"She's right! Fighting that guy will only make things worse!" Minato pleaded with the fiery blonde, hands tightly wrapped around her waist to prevent her berserker rampage from reaching the disappearing male.

"Minato, I swear, if you keep—!"

"Yang, that's enough. Your friends are right." Yu put a hand on her shoulder with a stern look on his face, which eventually made the girl settle down and her muscles fall limp.

"And why should I? We tried helping him and this is what we get? Shouldn't you be the one wanting to punch him in the most?" Yang reasoned, still refusing to retract Ember Celica to its normal, dormant state. A large fire still burned in her eyes as she stared into the grey, tranquil pools of the other.

"Because… there are people like that in the world. And… it's hopeless to try and change their perspectives." His last few words were especially heavy, his eyes downcast and before the blonde could argue anymore, he quietly distanced himself the group.

"Y-Yu! Hey, wait!" Yang grasped at the empty air, hands trying to break free, but by the time she had, the boy was gone.

"We're sorry, sis… he just looked like he didn't wanna be bothered." Ruby apologized, comforting her older sister. She sympathized with her pain.

"We should head to the assembly hall for now. It's the only thing we can do." Although it might have been a bit cold, Minato still had to remind the two siblings of what they were really here to do, earning him a flash of red from the corner of his eye.

Yang's glare lingered on the bluenette, a subtle yet malignant silence invading the air and leaving both in a heated inaudible standoff.

Minato made sure to have a neutral face throughout the entire exchange, blocking the other off from the path to the campus.

"Fine… let's head to the assembly…. But the next time I see that cat Faunus, I'm nailing him in the face!"

"Do what you want." The bluenette shrugged and started to walk with the others.

* * *

He tossed and turned under an ominous jade sky, feeling himself drifting through an infinite abyss of darkness. A cold moon hung above, its harsh rays streaming down and barely illuminating his dead surroundings. Ghoulish green and tainted red dotted across the land for miles on end and seemed to stretch on forever into the unknown of the weary blackness, tarnishing the once vibrant earth.

A deep-seeded dread started to rise from the pit of his gut as he broke open his eyes, one hand clasping his mouth. Blood rushed to his ears and he could hear the loud distinct thumps of his erratic heartbeat roughy crashing against his ribcage from his chest in the long, sleepless night. He quickly made his way to the nearest restroom and watched several glassfulls of a vile substance begin to pour from his mouth. Gasping for short breaths of air and feeling cold drops of sweat roll down his face, he turned on the tap to release to a rushing stream of water that he swifty splashed onto his face.

Minato gazed at the sunken figure in the mirror, seeing a hollow shell of his own reflection. Matted hair, dark eyes, and a tired frown all plastered across an old and withered face, making him a far cry from his usual confident persona.

He put a hand to his cheek, observing the disheveled stranger before him—

"Minato…?" He stopped, "Are you in there?" He heard a voice call out to him.

"..." He turned, remaining deathly silent.

"I know you're there… it's me, Ruby," the voice fumbled. "I-I just want to talk, Minato. Please come out of there. I saw you tossing and turning and tearing up in your sleep again…."

Ruby stood in the grand deserted halls of the building, lights dim and shadows cast upon the once illuminated passages and doors. The whole school had fallen silent after the stroke of midnight, leaving not a soul awake on its serene campus. She waited and waited, alone in solitude, gazing at the unmoving door laid ajar. And just when she thought she had lost all hope, a few specks of azure light emerged from the darkness. A low buzz could be heard as tiny sparks of yellow danced across the air, creating a starry display. Glowing balls of light scattered off into a million pieces, showering the girl in a bath of gold, all lead by the shape of a miniature human in the blackness.

"Did you enjoy my fireworks show?" As if on cue to an unknown audience, Minato appeared from the emptiness, a tiny, winged female in the palm of his hands. The small creature fluttered in the air and eventually landed on Ruby's arm, putting a small smile on her face.

"What… is she?" Ruby found herself curiously observing the alien lifeform, "Is she… part of that summoning magic?" She did not appear to be a Grimm, nor did she resemble any animal of Remnant.

"Quite correct." The bluenette gave a cheeky smile, "Her name's Pixie, one of the very first summons I obtained."

"So it isn't a part of your Semblance after all…." Ruby concluded. "Does this mean you have more of them? Including the giant sword-guy from yesterday?" She saw him give a grin and a nod.

"I had to keep them all a secret. You know what Ozpin said." He explained.

"Minato?" The girl couldn't tell why, but she felt that her friend was acting… off.

"Yeah?"

"Who are you…?" For whatever reason, the boy before her felt distant, as if they were complete strangers. A mixture of confusion, astonishment, and fear gripped her heart as she tried to make sense of her situation. All of the time she had spent with him as a child and the memories they made together seemed to become blurry and muddled. For how long did he bare this power alone? How young was he when he realized that he would be hunted down for such fantastical abilities? Who was he, and where did he come from? And lastly, she shivered when imagining an alternate world where that ginger criminal's group somehow managed to get ahold of her friend.

"...Would you believe me if I said I came from a different world?" The revelation became clear and it took her a minute to process his words. There was no point in him hiding this fact anymore.

"Another world…? I guess that would explain your abilities…." If the bluenette had told her this truth only a few days before, then she would have believed him to be insane.

"I don't remember what happened to me in my own world. Just that I slowly regained my abilities and memories as a child in Remnant," Minato gave a slight chuckle, only giving a half-truth about his surreal circumstances.

"Your world… what was it like? Did you have to fight there too?" Ruby found herself pondering about the possibilities of other universes, where the rules, laws, and so on were all so very alien to her own. Were there places where people weren't regularly terrorized by the creatures of Grimm? Were there places where people regularly lived in peace and were free of the barbaric bloodshed of hundreds of huntsmen and innocents?

"Well… I would say my life back then was pretty similar to what it is now." Something had changed yet again for the bluenette. He was becoming more sluggish in his movements the more he reminisced about his past. "I fought stuff that wanted to harm others and attended school on the side. Not a combat school, though."

"So you had a fair share of troubles back home, too?" Ruby mumbled sadly, "I wish there was a place where no one would have to fight off anything just to survive. A place where everyone could live freely and however they wanted." She recalled the memories of her childhood with her mother, where every day was bright and peaceful. How often she wished that peace would last forever. A world free of Grimm and the need for huntsmen.

"Same here. I'd rather trade these abilities for a normal life. One where I don't have to fight." The irony of what the bluenette just spewed out wasn't lost on him, as he realized that those exact same powers were the reason he began to appreciate his old life in the first place. It was not until reality literally came down on him did he understand the blessings of his past.

"Hey, Minato?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me your reason for becoming a huntsman again?" He noticed her face significantly darken.

"To help people. It's all I can do for a world that fostered me." He added at the end, making his reasoning seem more convincing. In reality, it was the only thing he was called to do. "Why ask? Something up?"

"You remember how we met those guys earlier? The pony-tailed girl and that Faunus guy?" Ruby gazed at the bluenette worriedly.

"Those two? Yeah." If he was not mistaken, the cat Faunus gave off a similar vibe as Yu did. Although, his aloof and hostile nature made him the exact opposite of the gray-haired swordsman. Minato remembered staring into the raven male's eyes, orbs burning with an exhausted fire that reflected his distorted form. In some ways, it reminded him of his mirrored image from just a few moments ago.

"Why do you think they want to become huntsmen?" Ruby continued with eyes downcast, "I mean, they just seem…" She failed to find the exact words.

"They don't look like they're just in it for just the job, right?" Minato understood where the girl was coming from. "People do have their own selfish reasons: money, fame, honor, and so on," the bluenette did his best to explain, "but those things also attract more people to the profession, so I wouldn't call it a completely bad thing. It keeps the world going, you know?"

"Guess not everyone is on the same page after all." Deep down, Ruby had known about this fact for a while, but the pure innocence of slaying monsters and helping others was so instinctual for her nature that she had often overlooked the more realistic sides of the profession. She smiled to him a sad smile, "When I said I wished for a world devoid of Grimm and huntsmen, I really meant it. Even if it is impossible…."

'And I'd wish for a world without Nyx,' Minato thought. He continued to chat with the red-colored huntress-in-training throughout the night, not a soul to be seen in the deserted halls.

* * *

**Here are the sketches for Minato, Yu, and Akira's outfit designs for this fic: sta . sh/0kvtvjoeicz**

**paste the stash link and connect the dots (Minato only one has sword as of now) it's to deviantart**


	3. The Exam and the Aftermath

**Author's notes**

**Guest 1: Akira will surprise you.**

**Robby the Cyber Warrior: If you refer back to Vol 1, Weiss did say similar things about the faunus. So I wouldn't say her racism is anything but normal for her early character. Akira has been through a lot, I think he would have had a similar fate if he hadn't met his friends in the original game. **

**Combine117: Yes, Akira was unfortunate enough to be part cat. Morgana is laughing as we speak. **

**Guest 2: It will be more of a brother sister type relationship.**

**Clary1925: as of now, no.**

**A Fan: The story is still early, there are no plans to add personas right now.**

**No Offense Guest: no offense but, refer back to chapter 2's end scene and the chap 1 opening. Anymore detail and it would be a drag. You don't need vocab eye candy in every scene to know what's going on. There's a fine balance in painting a picture. **

**Finally Chap 3 is here, the last scene was actually not intended to be that long but I got a little carried away pft. The three Wild Cards are finally showing some of their personalities...as always, tell me what you'll thought in the reviews. **

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Exam and the Aftermath**

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in this forest." Ozpin spoke.

A warm breeze swept from above and through the barren rocks of the mountain side, clashing with the cold winds of the chilly forest air. It gently rustled the fluffy green foliage of the great emerald trees that thickly obscured the land below, hiding the many hidden dangers of its murky hollows.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard from the upperclassmen about the assignment of teams. To answer that question, each of you will be given teammates... Today." Glynda instructed.

A group of eager youths stood on the side of a tall cliff, each waiting in anxious anticipation. Some readied their weapons, while others positioned themselves in a more defensive stance. Many looked as nervous as could be about their very first official exam at the prestigious academy. An armored blond stood first in the line of people ready to be launched and fearfully clung onto his shield. Another, more well-prepared youth with short brown locks, crossed his arms in smug confidence about the upcoming trial.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ruby could feel Ozpin's eyes linger on her, and then a certain bluenette in the crowd, making the huntress-in-training take on a more serious expression. She had to meet eyes with Minato, no matter the cost. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path. It is for your own survival that you must do so." After further explanations on the rules of the exam, Ozpin pushed a command on his interface, and countless students started to be launched into the air.

Ruby felt the ground below her start to violently rumble and shake as the small pebbles beneath her came to life in a sporadic dance, all accompanied by a flash of smoke that shot into her face and signaled for her to reach for the rifle on her back. The young huntress-in-training felt a massive push from below, springing her entire body into the heavens while she quickly unfolded her graceful crescent scythe. She started spinning and twisting in the sky so rapidly that she was covered in a whirlwind of roses, which lifted her into the atmosphere and created a mini tornado that ravaged the unsuspecting foliage below until she was in a moment of zero gravity. Unraveling herself from her windy cocoon, she extended the reach of her weapon to the max, creating a large lance that rushed down through sheer force of gravity and sliced into its unsuspecting target on the ground, severing the body into two, cleanly divided halves.

However, just as she was about to finish her landing, she retracted the scythe head into its normal position before swinging and clashing roughly with another incoming blade, creating a flurry of amber sparks as she barely dodged its deadly onslaught. But the attack was not finished, as she was then blown back from the sheer power of the hit.

"Are you trying to kill us?!" Ruby heard a bratty shout from above her, horror lacing her face as she saw eye to eye with a rapier-wielding girl in the trees. It didn't take her long to process the gravity of her situation. She froze. "Well? Don't tell me that last attack managed to destroy your brain, too." The snow-white girl crossed her arms, demanding an explanation.

"We met eyes…." A pinch of anger surged from the hooded girl's heart, realizing the person in front of her was the foolish student from yesterday.

"So you're blind too? Of course we've met eyes—!" The bratty huntress-in-training stopped, "Wait! Weren't you with that Narukami guy from yesterday?"

"Look, I don't want any trouble, ok?" Ruby decided to shut the girl up, cutting into her words, "I'll say sorry for running into you like this and let's just leave it there ok? I need to find someone, so can we please pretend we didn't meet each other?" The red scythe-wielder said firmly, hoping and praying Ozpin didn't catch the two on camera. She needed to find Minato.

"Ugh, are you implying that I'm not worthy enough? It is that Narukami dimwit again?!" Instead of the young girl's reply quelling the anger of the other, she became even more flustered, to the point where her snow-white complexion became a heated red.

"No, no! I'm just saying we might be better off with different partners!" Ruby yelled back. This girl was starting to make her lose her cool. Time was of the essence if she was going to meet with her friend before anyone else. It was a promise to herself and the headmaster.

"So you're saying that I'm not good enough!"

"No!"

"You're lying!"

"You're crazy!" Ruby snapped back, finally through with the idiot in front of her. However, instead of earning another verbal onslaught from the delusional huntress-in-training, it was replaced by a loud roar and the subtle, but noticeable, vibrations of the earth. "Great, now look what you've done…."

"What? How is it my fault—?!" Both of the girls readied themselves, feeling the approach of multiple Grimm in the shady hollows of the forest. Ruby raised her scythe in defense and her temporary partner held up her blade in overwhelming agitation. Just as another calm breeze swept by, out came a large group of bear-like Grimm from the undergrowth.

* * *

Yu dashed and raised his shining blade, slashing through countless Grimm with the hot metal cutting into their feeble bodies and cleanly ripping through them not unlike a knife through heated butter. A bolt of yellow lighting trailed behind him and quickly dissipated into the chaotic atmosphere.

Leaves swirled and folded in the wind as a dark hook shot from out of nowhere and grabbed onto an Ursa, yanking upwards and swinging and slamming its body into a nearby tree, where it was then diced into small obsidian pieces that evaporated into nothingness.

"Hey, need some help?" Yu said to the figure hiding in the trees, running through another panicked Grimm. "I know you're there!" He could feel the other observe quietly. Then, just as the swordsman was about to take a surprise attack to his back from a charging boar-like creature, a silver dagger came plunging down, piercing through its thick, white armor and sending it rolling and tumbling into the earth.

"Don't slow me down," came the reply from the shadows. Out strolled a frowning male cat Faunus, another dagger held tightly in his hand.

"Nice to know you're not a complete asshole." Yu shrugged before returning to an attack stance, but unlike before, no creatures of despair came running to his blade. In fact, it felt like there were no signs of life whatsoever within the whole area. His long-time combat instincts told him that something was off in the air.

"In no way does this mean that I accept you as my partner." The dark-haired Faunus's ears twitched in anxious anticipation, tiny hairs standing up on his back.

"You hear anything?" Yu noticed the other male focus with absolute concentration.

The breeze started to pick up, giving the forest a haunting atmosphere.

"The sky…" The cat Faunus's eyes narrowed, raising his dagger. "Something's coming— move!" Suddenly, with only a split-second notice, both huntsmen-in-training sprung out of the way, hearing an ear-splitting screech from above and a mammoth-sized bird crashing head-first into the earth. It decimated the ground below and sent a wave of soil and rock several feet up into the air, creating a meteor-sized crater. They watched the creature struggle feebly to move its crippled and misshapen wings, littered with gruesome gashes all over its dark body, as it gave a desperate howl of pain.

"Is that what you were talking about?" Yu furrowed an eyebrow, watching the weak Nevermore fight for its life.

"No, you idiot, the thing killing it." The Faunus whispered, sensing a great pressure from atop the sad creature. It was not long before they saw a speck of blue and heard a resounding ring of metal, a blade driving itself deep into moist flesh, and a demonic roar of death from the dying Nevermore.

"Minato…?" Yu glimpsed from the bushes, seeing the bluenette pull out his Scroll from his pocket and take what could only be described as a selfie next to the downed creature, posing in a victory stance and grinning at the camera.

"You have got to be kidding me…." Cat ears twitched once again, eyes wide in shock.

The bright flashes of the Scroll lit up the youngster's face. His poses became more and more ridiculous as time went on, and finished with him lying down and raising the front camera, flashing its lights toward the sky with a wide smile on his face. The photos developed before his eyes, each one more tilted and distorted than the last, until he saw a shadowy blur slowly appear in his screen's view. Its shape became more and more clear as a large black beak made its way into the frames and a massive force of wind lifted up his hair.

A second Nevermore swooped down from the sunny heavens and opened up its mouth to devour the boy lying on the earth, only to be halted at the last second by a shining blade plunging deep into its throat, followed by a tiny flicker of light that captured the moments of its swift demise. A flurry of coal-colored feathers gently rained down from the air, creating an illusion of soft, black snow. Then, just when everyone thought the encounter was over, hundreds of midnight-black spots emerged from the clouds, enveloping the sun in a cloak like the night. A fleet of demonic Nevermore all howled in chilling unison and dove for the boy.

"Oh shit…."

* * *

"So, your name's Weiss?" Ruby dashed into an Ursa and slashed at its chest with her oversized weapon before twisting the polearm around and piercing its sturdy flesh with the backside of her scythe.

"That's Weiss Schnee to you!" Weiss span the revolver-like mechanism on her blade, covering it in a red mist before setting up countless black and white glyphs that slid her into an oncoming row of Grimm, and splashed a sudden wave of flames that scorched their feeble ranks.

"Ruby Rose!" The scythe wielder replied in the heat of the battle, dodging the raw claw of an Ursa that aimed for her neck. However, instead of recovering and dealing with her attacker, she saw a flash of yellow and heard something forcefully smash into rock.

"You guys doing alright?" Yang waved, charging out with a familiar-looking dark-haired girl.

"Yang!" Ruby zealously welcomed her older sister, her eyes lighting up at finally meeting someone she knew. "And you're the girl from yesterday." She turned to the huntress-in-training with the large dark bow.

"Blake Belladonna." Although she spoke little, Blake held a faint smile on her face, effectively expressing her mood at meeting her partner's younger sister.

"And Noraaaaaaaa—! Run, Ren!" Yet another unfamiliar face burst onto the scene when everyone heard a scream and a rumbling sound from a stray line of trees in the air. Soon, a ginger-haired girl seemed to appear from out of thin air, wearing a horrified expression with an exhausted dark-haired male behind her.

"Nora… please!" The boy reached out his hand to call for the energetic huntress-in-training to stop, panting and sweating from whatever monstrosity they had been dealing with. However, it didn't take long for that answer because just after the two emerged from the trees, another pair of shouts sounded, and along with it came a charging black-and-white scorpion that bowled over anything and everything in its path.

"Jaune! This way!" A fair, armored blond came clumsily flying out of the bushes, followed by a spear-wielding female with fire-red hair.

"Probably should have said that earlier, Pyrrha." The blond groaned, painfully clutching his arm and face despite his thick armor.

"It's just one Grimm, right?" Yang smirked, bumping her fists together, "Come on guys, we can take this."

The scorpion-like Grimm roared, stomping flat a row of trees that dared to stand in its path.

"With this many people around, I'm sure it'll go down in no time," Blake carefully calculated, especially with some of the students in their ranks. Everyone readied their blades. Taking down this creature would be the only way to quickly advance to their item-retrieval objectives.

"Everyone ready?" Pyrrha questioned, raising her shield and earning an array of nods.

"As if a Grimm like this would slow me down." Weiss fired up a single a white glyph, but as she and the others were about to dash in head on, their surroundings suddenly darkened.

"What's happening?" Ruby felt the world go black as what appeared to be a midnight blanket obscured the bright Remnant sun, followed by a resounding set of howls that blared far and wide into the haunted green forest and chilled the girl to the bone.

"I-it's a horde of Nevermore!" Jaune yelled in terror, vaguely making out spiked wings and massive coal-colored beaks from the air. An equally stunned set of faces pointed upwards at the fleet of death above. Some even froze in awe of their enviable end. But there was something more.

"Akira! Yu!" A bluenette was seen running amongst the winged Grimm. A sword dug tightly into one of the colossal avians, forcing it to wildly jerk in the air, ramming its body into many of its kin, while a raven-haired male extended what looked to be the line of a grappling hook, guiding and clumping together several birds into one large projectile that was then spun at blinding speeds. It collided into, smashed, and decimated anything it came into contact with until it created a large hole in the sky. Following the next set of orders, Yu grabbed the line that tied and bound the Grimm ball together and sent a golden jolt of electricity that quickly surged through each of their bodies, frying them completely from the inside out.

"Guys! Run for it while you can!" Charred bits of Nevermore dropped from the sky, along with a dark blue and golden blur that stabbed into the giant scorpion Grimm currently charging at the group, killing it in a single blow.

"We can't just leave you guys like that!" Yang shouted amongst the chaos, watching the other two still rushing around in the air.

"Yeah! If we all die, we die together!" Nora proclaimed, switching her canon into gun mode.

"Are you people out of your minds?!" Weiss ended up being the voice of reason, "Do you guys even remember what we're for?!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Yang snapped back, "Are you saying we should just leave them up there to die?"

"No, you dolt! I'm saying we should all complete our objectives, get the other two, and leave!" The snow-white girl argued, seeing no point in doing extra combat.

"For once, I agree with Weiss." Ruby said seriously, "Everyone! There's no point in fighting this pack of Grimm. We were only assigned here to do one thing!" Her speech was meant to filter in some reason to the desperate group, though the Nevermores were getting more and more agitated in the air.

"It would be impossible to take on all of them at once," Ren said in tired breaths, still recovering from his last battle.

"Guys, listen. I want some of our more exhausted members to be helped and paired with someone else," Ruby spoke up, "Then, I want our strongest to guard the front and rear of our escape with the others in the middle."

"I've got Ren!" Nora cheered, supporting her hesitant friend while Pyrrha did the same for a half-dead Jaune.

"I'll take the rear!" Yang volunteered with Blake, who both ran to the back, while Weiss, Ruby and Minato took up the front.

"Weiss, I need you to do something if they fall." Wind clashed and battered the young girl's cape and hair, forcing it to flutter in the breeze as the tight knit formation of students ran for their lives amidst a hundred screeching Nevermore that tailed their every move from the air.

"And what's that?" The rapier wielder shot a round of Ice Dust into an approaching Ursa, knocking it to the side.

"Use your glyphs—!" Almost without warning, shock momentarily overtook everyone's eyes, seeing two humanoid figures plummet from the azure sky, quickly descending from hundreds of feet in the air. The snowy heiress narrowed her eyes, concentrating on the falling forms above. Just as she was about to make her mark, a large beak flew forward and caught one of the vulnerable shapes.

"No, no, no!" Weiss watched in dread at the Nevermore crunching on the figure. The rapier wielder shook and lost focus, causing the already deployed glyphs to be shattered in the process.

"Focus! I know for a fact that Yu can take care of himself! I fought with him!" Minato assured the heiress, trying to ease her fears, "We have to trust him."

"O-ok! I get it!" Signs of embarrassment and frustration started to make its way onto her face, forcing her to go back to creating her glyphs in the sky. Eventually, she was successful in at least catching the Faunus boy from before, letting him use the floating black platform to make a more adjusted landing. "Got him!"

But the relief would only last so long, because just as the black figure landed safely, the one from before broke free from the jaws of the beast with a flash of yellow. A clear shield-like substance flickered around his body.

"You guys have to catch him!" Pyrrha warned from further back, "He looks like he's on the last of his Aura!"

"Ughhhh! Yu Narukami! You owe me one!" Weiss shouted, enraged beyond belief. Reaching her hand forward, she formed the largest obsidian glyphs she could muster to help slow the boy's rapid plunge into the afterlife. Glyph after glyph passed until the heiress was truly at her limit, bullets of sweat trailing down her face as she kept up the mammoth feat.

Thankfully, as Yu reached rock bottom, a familiar black line managed to yank him to the ground and to safety.

"Everyone, grab one!" Came a voice from further ahead. A raven-haired male tossed the group a set of what resembled chess pieces. The frantic party gladly accepted the gracious offer and moved on their way, while both Yu and Akira joined the group.

"Hey Yu, are you ok? Wanna join the middle?" Yang waved from the back, shooting a large blast that deteriorated a swooping Nevermore.

"Yu, your Aura's low. I don't recommend fighting unless you want to get seriously hurt." Pyrrha suggested in concern, still running with Jaune propped up on her shoulder.

"No, guys, I'm alright! I can still help!" The gray-haired huntsman-in-training outstretched his blade and kept pace with the others, slashing away a few minor land-Grimms' attempts to reach the middle group.

The small party of students made haste, running for their lives. Multiple pairs of shoes trampled past the dry forest grounds, carrying hundreds of their deadly pursuers in tow. They ran, ran, and ran through the never ending line of trees until they saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, the front of the group jolted to an abrupt stop, causing the next two rows of people to stumble forwards and knock the already flabbergasted few who stood before a steep, mountainous canyon.

"Ruby!" Minato reached out and caught the girl by her arm, preventing her body from plunging into the depths. The boy held onto her with all his might, while his classmates backed him up by quickly firing and pushing back the encroaching flock of Grimm. Some headed to a nearby bridge and into an area full of ruined buildings and crumbling pillars, while others fought bravely to slow the ravenous black wave.

"We're surrounded!" Blake called out, shifting her weapon into gun mode and igniting a hell storm of yellow sparks that burned and forced the monstrous bird back. It let out a sick howl as it dived at the obsidian huntress-in-training, launching its sharp feathers in her direction. Thankfully, she was saved by the shield of a red-headed girl who then threw her spear, piercing the left side of the giant Grimm's wing.

"What are you doing?" Weiss shot forth a storm of icicles, accelerating their speed via Time Dilation before shooting them forward to pierce a few smaller Nevermores in the heavens.

"Helping to lessen the problem." Yu stabbed his golden katana into the ground, conjuring up a wall of solid ice to encase his opponents in a sprawl of blue crystals, and sliced and collapsed the artificial pillar into the cliffs below. However, this would only be the beginning, as he heard a large pop and crack from his side and saw another, even more pristine fortress of white.

"You think you're the only one who can do this?" Weiss scoffed, zipping forward and delivering a death blow with the sharp edge of her blade to the already incapitacted Grimm, exploding the colossal ball of ice.

Ruby swung her scythe upwards, slashing another set of small Nevermore, firing off countless rounds of her Dust bullets in the process, and killing another pair of birds that fell to the earth. "Minato, we can't go on like this, we need a plan!"

Minato, after wrestling his blade free from an oncoming Nevermore, edged his back behind the scythe wielder's. It was then that he had an idea from observing the battlefield. "I've got something, but dunno if you'd like it!"

Ruby saw an eruption of white crystals from the bridge, "You mean we use those, right?"

"That, and something to lure them all into one place." Minato scanned the field for anyone, or anything that would likely fit the bait candidate, but only came to one conclusion. "Look, I'll head to the center—"

"No, you're not!" She gave him a hurt glare, reminding him of the fire incident from before, "I don't care if you're from a different world."

"Fine, then what do you suggest we do?" The bluenette questioned, watching the others become less and less agile in dodging the Grimms' attacks. They only had so much time.

"I-I…" She fumbled and racked her mind for an answer, but no clear solution came through. She looked to him in concern.

"I know something that'll work." A third voice had interrupted the two, accompanied by the appearance its raven-haired owner, a serious frown stuck to his face.

"Are you sure about this?" The silver-eyed girl pleaded, despite not knowing the Faunus well.

"If those idiot instructors threw us to the wolves, then yes. It's better to get this over with." Akira replied coldly, "Gather everyone else so they don't get in my way."

"Will do." Minato nodded.

* * *

"You want me to do what?!" Weiss objected, but had no other option besides accepting the party's dire circumstances, looking around to the others' distraught faces and weakening fighters.

"If Weiss doesn't want in, then I can hopefully pull this off myself." Yu offered to take both of their places, which flustered the heiress.

"Did I say I wouldn't be participating?!" She stomped on the ground, pointing her rapier at the boy.

"Alright everyone, if you have any spare Dust left, please hand them to me!" Ruby called in a hurry, receiving several handfuls of the colored tubes that were left from the desperate group.

"What are you guys planning to do with it?" Yang asked, along with a few others who wondered the same thing.

"Guys, gather up. Here's the plan." Minato came out from a row of bushes.

* * *

Weiss laid down a row of glyphs on a bridge made of ancient stone, skidding past a darkened sky of Nevermore that tried cut through her form. It was then followed by two more figures that slid across the crumbling structure, avoiding countless rains of dagger-like feathers that ravaged the area. Stopping on a wider area of the bridge, Weiss raised her balde.

"Akira, now!" The heiress yelled, seeing a few birds already heading for the three in the center, but there was only silence. "Hello? Remnant to Faunus-!

Yu watched the dark-haired huntsman-in-training subtly shake, his teeth grounding tightly and his pupils a slit of their original, rounded black. A fist curled to the point where it was now white as bone and a subtle shift in the air raised his hairs.

"Come at me, you worthless sons of bitches!" a growl of deep-seeded loathing exploded from the center, along with a wave of pure darkness that stopped every Grimm in its tracks, "Catch me if you can!"

"Is he insane…?" the heiress mumbled. But there was no time to think, as in a blink of an eye, a chorus of dread rang across the forest and the hordes of Nevermore from the heavens charged down from every corner of the world.

"Weiss, get ready!" Yu warned and dug his blade into the rough stone, feeling their plate begin to rumble in the aftermath of the strange wave.

Soon, a flock of Grimm birds rushed down and roared, cutting through the air with their sharpened beaks, tearing through each other to devour the three sitting ducks on the platform—

"NOW!" The two casters slammed their weapons into the ground, manifesting a sprawling wonderland of white ice that exploded from the bridge to overtake the sky, driving its sharpened cold spikes into the Nevermore. It spread and ate away around them until it bloomed into a frozen lotus-like structure that reached miles up into the air, catching its enemies in its chilly icy prison.

"Ruby, are you ready?" Minato felt the wind rushing in his hair as he clung onto a Charmed Grimm bird, soaring toward the blazing sun and rapidly ascending into the clouds like a sonic jet, its feathers battered by the air currents.

"Yeah! I'm good when you are!" The red huntress-in-training extended her scythe and rushed into the empty sunny azure above with her friend, who also placed his arm onto the crimson polearm. Minato threw the gathered Dust at the body of the large bird and proceeded to experience a second of weightlessness in the air.

"Now, I just need you to hold on and focus…." He gingerly whispered, his silver eyes shining a bright blue. A tingling sensation rushed through his soul and coated the crimson red scythe in a dazzling shade of bright cyan.

"Minato…" Ruby mumbled, experiencing a sudden surge of power pass through her spirit, making its way to the barrel of her rifle. She could feel the sheer might of the energy flowing past her, making her heart tense.

"FIRE!" Without any more delay, the light that had gathered around the nozzle burst into a hot ray of light that shot and ignited the dormant Dust rounds on the Nevermore, setting its body ablaze and forcing it to plummet from the skies. It transformed into an energy-coated projectile that crashed into the plate of ice and detonated into a violent mushroom cloud of heat and light. The force rattled the entire earth below, shattering the ancient ruins in the process. Rocks flew and showered every corner of the area and the flames from the collision spread far and wide to scorch the very cliff face and rocks around it.

* * *

"Hey, watch my skirt, you dimwit!" Weiss fisted the empty air as a gray-haired male carried her to the other side of the cliffs. Yet, instead of getting an annoyed response, she was then dropped to the floor. "Hey!" She called for the idiot's attention, finding him ignoring her once again. She even went as far as punching him in the chest, to no result. "Is your Aura invincible or something—?" At that moment, she noticed something odd. No matter how hard she punched, no Aura formed around the boy.

Yu, along with his Faunus counterpart, froze from the chaotic blast upon reaching the forest grounds. The white from the explosion blinded the two, but they never looked away, as it sent a chill down their bodies. The white light wasn't part of the Dust; it felt far too familiar.

* * *

"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long." The four girls stood among a grand hall of first years, up on a pristine white stage, smiling in eager anticipation. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as… Team RWBY." The headmaster spoke, feeling the eyes of each girl as he decided on their leader, "Lead by…"

Weiss tensed.

Ruby bounded up and down.

Yang smirked.

Blake stood abnormally still.

"Ruby Rose." An uproar of claps and cheers spread across the entire room, as the whole class celebrated the birth of yet another new team leader. Ruby felt a warmth rise from her chest and a slight blush appear across her face at the unexpected announcement. She found herself being the star of the room and felt her older sister give a tight squeeze upon hearing the news.

"Ruby! I'm so proud of you!" Yang snuggled against the girl before happily congratulating her on her new accomplishment. Upon receiving such praise, she turned her head around to spot a blue-haired boy giving her a thumbs up and a cheeky smirk from the crowd, which give her more confidence in her new status.

"And lastly," Ozpin began, letting the final batch of students, a group of three boys, step onto the stage, "since we have an uneven number of students enrolled this year, Minato Arisato, Akira Kurusu, and Yu Narukami, you shall form an odd team of three, having retrieved the black knight pieces," he paused for a second, "and from this day forward, you all shall work together and be known as Team MAY. Lead by, Minato Arisato." Another set of cheers erupted from the class, excited young faces lighting up from every possible corner of the room. After the formation of the last team of students, a new wave of energy was birthed from the masses, as this marked their official start at Beacon, a school of everyone's dreams.

"So, how'd you two like our team name?" Minato sat up in bed, his luggage scattered messily on his side of the room. There were two other beds, with one in the middle and the other hugging the opposite wall of the room. The glow of the shattered moon trickled in ever so slightly to the dimly-lit dorm room.

"What about it?" Akira typed on his laptop.

"I think it's fine sounding. Why?" Yu read a book from his scroll, its bright screen lighting up parts of his face in the dark.

"I'm the only one who thinks it's dumb, then?" Minato cocked up an eyebrow, "MAY isn't even a color."

"The name of a month is pretty close, right? It reminds me of the first leaves of spring, so green maybe?" Yu mused outloud to the rest, his eyes on the blank ceiling of the room.

"And what else would you have wanted our name to be? Team YAM?" Akira scoffed.

"You know what? You have a point." Minato chuckled at the thought. "YAM does sound stupid."

"Hey, it doesn't sound that bad." Yu objected, feeling attacked by his team. Did they really hate him that much?

"It's the name of a bootleg potato. It's stupid." Akira jabbed, giving a sadistic smirk.

"Oh yeah? Well, Team AMY sounds even worse. It's a girl's name, and we're an all-boys team!" Yu hopelessly tried to get back at the Faunus boy, but to no avail.

"Oh, I've got it." Minato smacked his fist into his palm in a sudden epiphany, drawing the attention of the other two. "We should make up our own unofficial team name."

"Better than our official one, I suppose." The gray-haired student sighed in utter defeat.

"Team Potato! How about it guys? Cool right?" Minato smiled a mocking smile, watching his team in equal amounts of either astonishment or disbelief. "And I'm serious."

"Fine with me." Akira shut down his laptop.

"W-what? How can any one of you blatantly accept that?" Yu questioned, in shock of how fast he had been overruled once again.

"Because naming ourselves after a vegetable will be hilarious, and when we reach the top of the Beacon rankings, all will associate the word 'potato' with sheer unadulterated fright." Minato said almost too casually.

"You're a horrible leader." Akira said in calm sarcasm.

"And you're a horrible person, threatening people when they offer you a helping hand—"

The bluettene could feel cold dagger-like pupils dig into his skin, and he returned an equally deathly look. It was chilling, if not more threatening than the other.

"Guys, guys, calm down. " The tense atmosphere felt almost palpable to the touch as Yu tried to mediate the situation. "I'm already over that…."

"Over that? I threatened your life and you're already fine with it? You're a bigger coward than I thought—!" Akira jerked to the side. A small blade sped through the air and dug into the part of the wall were he was resting his body just a few seconds ago.

"Talk like that again and I will rip your head clean off." Minato narrowed his eyes, channeling a familiar Ice Empress from his past, "I am your leader now and I demand mutual respect, got it?" His tone was harsh and devoid of any of his personality from before, like he was a soulless shell. The darkness surrounding him seemed to twist and warp ever so slightly, contrasting his tired silver eyes.

"Tch, have it your way then." Akira grabbed a bag and slammed the door to the dorm, leaving the other two alone in the room.

"Thanks for that… but it really wasn't necessary…." Yu spoke softly, sounding as if he were the one causing trouble.

"And what's up with you? Shouldn't you be defending yourself?" Minato chided, "You're a pain in the ass."

"I…" Yu turned away.

"Well? Don't tell me you're a pushover like that guy said." The bluenette glared, anger surging from his heart. These two idiots were partly the reason why he and his friends had such a sour day during their arrival to the school. "You should have smacked him square in the face."

"I… didn't want a confrontation for something so minor…." Yu stumbled in his words, afraid to face his leader.

"Minor? My sister nearly got hurt trying to help you!" Minato thought back to the Grimm fights earlier that day. The amount of skill shown by Akira would have easily outclassed Yang's. If the golden blonde had blazed forward to hit the Faunus boy, then it would have surely ended in a one sided brawl, and not in her favor. "So our help was a minor thing too, huh?"

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry if you think that way." The boy started to shake, "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that..."

"Just what? Spit it out, coward!"

"I… I don't deserve your kindness." Yu felt his own hands tremble, terror and anxiety rising from the back of his mind.

"What?"

"Hey, Minato.…" The gray-haired boy reached for his blade. "Do you… believe in other worlds?" He murmured, holding in his imploding despair, a single tear rolling down his eye.

The bluenette softened at the question, "Why are you changing the topic?"

"Because I know you come from the same place as me…." Yu showed the Japanese text carved into the steel of his blade, reading 'Izanagi.' "There are no myths or legends of this kami in Remnant. Same for the name of your sword."

"That is true." The bluenette lost all will to egg the other on, a familiar pain beginning to sear into his heart. "A country named Japan, right? A land surrounded by the sea."

"Yeah.…"

"Where there lies a mega-city called Tokyo, hundreds of times larger than Vale, with a population to match…." the mellow bluenette recalled, soothing the fears of the other.

"Don't about the peaceful countryside, beautiful and untainted by the Grimm." Yu pictured brown rice patties and villages lined with ancient wooden houses, images of Inaba resurfacing with a lifetime of nostalgic memories.

"Did something happen back then?" Minato found it harder and harder to voice words from his throat, his eyes drooping.

Yu nodded, stretching out a hand and forming a clear blue card in his hands that glowed a soft blue light. "I saw you use a Megido to destroy that horde of Nevermores today… you hid it well in that load of Dust. Was the Dust explosion from before you, too?"

Minato floated a similar card in his palm, "Yep. It's the reason Ruby got dragged into this whole mess, too. Ozpin knows as well."

"It's funny…." The gray-haired boy gave a bitter chuckle, "I originally transferred in hopes of finding someone I knew due to that explosion… a friend perhaps, but…" Yu stared blankly at the ground.

"Same luck on that here," Minato's heart ached at the thought of seeing someone from his past, "But I realized that was impossible a long time ago." He felt himself start to shake, overwhelmed by a wave of despair.

"I just wish I could see them again. I just wish I could visit home again." He missed the carefree days of his life. His hands balled into fists. The once strong huntsman-in-training was gone, replaced by a crumbling heap of a human.

"It's alright…." Minato placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Me too…" His face darkened, eyes covered by his long blue bangs.

"..."

"I… want to go back too."

* * *

Little did the two know, as they traded their pleas, a third party was listening from behind the door.


	4. The Fool Reversed

**Author's notes:**

**Matemeo3: The protags all have pretty heavy baggage starting off. There will be detailed explanations but the full one would be well off having their entire spin off chapters, especially for Akira. **

**madmadMADshipper: Cinder is full Fall Maiden and Minato has problems using his personas. Akira would kill you if you tried yanking his ears. Chase you around with a dagger while Minato sobs in the corner. **

**Guest: Sorry, this is not a ship story. There will maybe be one ship but it's not that. **

**Postie75: I hope you enjoy the ride. **

**Combine117: Weiss is still mad about the Yu incident. Akira has problems. As for who was eavesdropping? It'll be revealed somewhere down the line**

**Mr. Haziq: He does. You could say they love him partly as a stunt poster (Nevermore photo), or someone who just has a really 'interesting' personality. Doesn't help that Yang likes take over his account half of the time.**

**thesneezingSOAB: Too many missing letters and syllables, seems forced.**

**For the many readers who have been asking for ships, this will mainly be a ship free fic focused on a bigger picture with maybe only one pairing, but that's more so for helping the plot than actual shipping fuel. I personally don't like throwing many into a story.**

**Once again, the chap has been betaed by ShinyKyu**

**As always please share your thoughts in the comments **

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Fool Reversed**

Warm, serene light subtly eased its way into the shadowy corners of a quiet room, signaling the breaking of a new dawn as the orange sun gently climbed its way into a radiant, purple sky. In the early hours of morning, uninhabited by a single waking soul, a light sizzling of small cracks and pops could be heard, along with a vision of wispy smoke streaming into the air.

A low voice humming a familiar tone stood alone, sprinkling a pinch of light seasoning onto otherwise well-done steaks, carefully making sure each were properly prepared.

Yu tossed around in his bed before tiredly opening up his eyes, smelling a sweet aroma in the air, of cooked food and fire. As his vision steadily adjusted to his new surroundings, he saw what had caused his him to wake. Before him stood none other than his blue-haired friend, decked out in a lazily-crafted chef's hat and one hand flipping a pile of juicy steaks on a small red grill.

"Awake already?" Minato said, his eyes still focused on the heated grill. He looked as if he was in a world of his own.

"Yeah…" The gray-haired student scratched his head in puzzlement, "Aren't grills prohibited in the dorms?"

"They are." The rule-breaking chef continued his work, seemingly unphased by the question.

"Safety hazard." Akira was next to wake, rubbing his eyes and refusing to get out of bed.

"Don't worry about it. I had a little chat with Ozpin. I'm free to do as I please." Minato gave a cheeky grin. "But it'll be another story if I let anyone else touch this grill," he explained, shrugging at what might happen to anyone that wasn't him.

"Those are some special privileges. You think you can get me those too?" At first Yu had mused what his friend had done to gain such special treatment, and then he chuckled in realization.

"Depends. Ozpin drives a hard bargain. Glynda already looked like she wanted to slit my throat when I proposed the deal." Minato divided the large cuts of meat into smaller, more manageable pieces. He found himself being given a strange look by a certain dark-haired Faunus in the corner. Then came a small knock by the door.

"Minato? Minato, are you awake?" A small girl could be heard in the halls.

"Yo! Ruby told us you'd be hosting a barbecue party today!" Another, more outgoing voice shouted from the other side.

"Ugh…. Can we just get this over with?" Yu unlocked and gently swung open the door, hearing a bratty Weiss complain about being woken up so early in the morning. However, something felt different about her.

"May we come in?" Blake gave a gentle smile, eyeing the room's inhabitants.

"Ren! Ren! I smell barbecue!" Soon, the scent of the food had attracted another pair of students, as Nora roughly slammed open the door to her dorm, dragging her groggy teammate with her into the halls.

"Nora—" It was too late, as the excited ginger had already forced the poor boy out of the dorm, in his underwear.

"Whoa there Ren, I didn't know you were into that." Yang teased, already having the pink-eyed boy blushing and denying her comments in subtle panic.

"Alright, get inside everyone. We don't want the school staff knowing." Minato waved a hand, gesturing for the party of students to take seats in the three-person dorm. Team RWBY quietly adjusted themselves, followed by the first and second halves of team JNPR, all seated on either beds or extra chairs in the room.

"So Minato, what's this party for? Are we celebrating something?" Jaune asked, munching a recently done rib, seemingly clueless.

"I believe it's to congratulate us on finishing our entrance exam, yes?" Pyrrha mused out, "Everyone gathered here did work hard together to fend off that huge flock of Nevermore."

"What about starting our first day at Beacon?" Blake added, seeing the faces of everyone light up at finally being able to attend the school of their dreams. A school that only accepted the best.

"Precisely!" The bluenette clapped, "You're both correct. I'd say we're a pretty tight knit group of people after that experience. Surviving a Grimm horde that'd be hard even for professionals to take down is a great accomplishment in my book."

"That reminds me, Minato. How _did_ you guys run into that many Nevermore?" Ruby raised her hand, looking from the confused face of Yu to the blank expression that was Akira's. The entire room suddenly focused on the three boys.

"Yeah… about that," Minato pretended to have a hard time remembering. "See, when they launched me, I ended up in a certain mountain-like area of the exam."

"Oh! I know what happens next! You tripped and fell and landed on a Nevermore nest!" Nora beamed, chewing through her third pair of roasted ribs.

"How'd you know?"

"What? Come on, Minato, there's no way that was what happened." Yang scoffed at the idea. It simply seemed too comical, even with the strange antics of the bluenette. Then again, she wasn't so sure of herself being stuck with him for so long.

"Nope. I'm not kidding, and then they chased me around, leading me to you guys."

"Then… what about them?" Weiss asked awkwardly, gesturing to both Yu and Akira, an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"We were fighting our own battles when our leader crash landed with a dead Nevermore." Yu recalled, feeling a watchful eye from the heiress.

"Same story with me." Akira spoke, following the story of Yu.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Yang glared at the Faunus, clearly sending a silent declaration of war between the two, fire in her lilac eyes.

"Yang, no…" Then she felt her younger sister tug at her shirt, and several pairs of eyes shot back and forth between the tall blonde and the raven-haired boy, accompanied by the silent whispers of Jaune and Pyrrha.

"How we about we move onto another topic…." Yu suggested, sweating that the party had barely escaped evolving into an all-out brawl between two of their grumpiest members in the room.

"Y-yeah! Like classes!" Jaune blurted out nervously. He could practically sense the thick tension in the air.

"M-me too! We should all trade schedules to see who we'll be with!" Ruby forced a smile, secretly thanking the blond boy for his extremely quick thinking.

"Nora and I will be attending Professor Port's lecture this morning." Ren opened his scroll to a picture of a detailed class list.

"My team has a similar shedule for the most part." Minato compared the details to his own and so did everyone else. Excited chatter and plans of future seating arrangements were already starting to be formed as the students discussed their future plans at Beacon.

"It seems like we all have very closely aligned schedules," Pyrrah observed, "I'm surprised we all have so much in common despite the number of the underclassmen this year."

"Since we pretty much have almost all of our classes together, how about we all form one big study group?" Minato suggested, "That way, we can always have someone we know to help each other."

"You mean for any subject, right? I'm sure we can all use some help on preparing for midterms." Jaune was the first to be on board.

"That sounds like a good idea, Minato. Like Jaune said, it would better if we can have a variety of people aiding each other in the upcoming months. It will do well to cover each other's weaknesses." The Mistralian champion formulated a strategy to tackle the year ahead in her mind.

"Oh, I get it! It'll be just like how we made it through our first exam!" Ruby's eyes lit up, "I didn't know you could form battle plans for classes too." The new plan reminded her of how everyone made sure to have each other's backs during their fights, with the odd coincidence that most of them would once again be united under one classroom. It made the group of students seem extremely tightly knit.

"Looks like this will be a fun year." Yu smiled to himself, watching the others chat on about random subjects and exchange personal stories before their arrival at Beacon. It had been a long time since he had felt so relaxed around a group of people. It felt nostalgic, even.

* * *

A dark hook sprung out from the fog, biting, sinking, and gnawing into its target's Aura like a hunter latching onto its prey, before a sharp jolt of yellow sparked and spread through his form, shocking the surprised body as it was then forcefully tossed into the vulnerable air.

Cardin Winchester winced at being forced to his limit, fear in his eyes and sweat down his back as he saw something suddenly materialize below him. Its face was so demonic that the boy tightly shut his eyes in terror. He felt a sharp dagger aggressively rip and tear through the last remaining bits of his useable Aura.

"Gah!" The poor brunette slammed into the floor back-first, panic still lacing his eyes as several bright lights quickly ate away the horrific darkness around him.

"You can both stop now, Mr. Winchester, Mr. Kurusu." Glynda said with approval, a scroll in her hands showing Cardin's gauge being in the low red, close to zero percent. Meanwhile, the raven-haired Faunus had not been touched even once in his battle. "Students, as you can see, it is vital that you all pay close attention to your Aura gauges when you are in the real world. If you ever find yourselves or any of your teammates in the red, it is best to have someone else take over to avoid any unnecessary casualties." Her words came off sternly and without any sugar-coating to hide the youths from the harsh reality that was being a huntsman or huntress.

"Tch!" Cardin glared daggers at his opponent, mumbling several inaudible curses and plenty of racist remarks under his breath before walking back to the bleachers, leaving the twitching ears and annoyed frown of Akira.

"Now, since today is the first day of class, we still have a little extra time left before your cafeteria break." The blonde instructor turned to the Faunus boy, "Do you wish to stay for another round, Mr. Kurusu?"

"Yeah. But can I pick who this time?" Akira replied in a polite manner, surveying the crowd. Restless conversation and plenty of bets were made and passed around the class on who it was that the student wanted to personally challenge. The most popular theories ranged from the four-time Mistralian champion to the heiress of the Schnee Dust company and finally, the recent regional champion of Altas.

"And who may that be?" Glynda couldn't help but ask. The dark-haired boy had been on a clean and undefeated win streak ever since he took over the stage.

Akira silently raised a hand and pointed at the crowd, his borrows furrowing. "Him."

"Why you—"

"Sure. I wouldn't mind a fight." Yu stood up from his seat, putting a shoulder on Yang, who looked like she was going to challenge the Faunus as well.

"Very well, Mr. Narukami. Please prepare yourself." Yu grabbed his blade and strolled onto the stage, feeling the searing gaze of his opponent burn right into him as Glynda once again dimmed the arena. And as the lights slowly faded, so did the reserved nature of the audience, as many started to cheer for either side. Students of Faunus heritage were more keen to take the dark-haired boy's side, while the humans in the crowd never stopped supporting their own.

"You better win this, Yu!" Yang found herself being the first to ignite the excitement of the class, while many other followed suite with their own versions of encouragement.

"Go, Akira!" A pair of Faunus girls shouted, typing his name on their scrolls and waving them in the air.

"Altas Champion for the win!" Another called out, while a separate horde of people yelled out similar comments.

"So you really are the champion from that place." Akira reloaded his gun.

"I was dragged into it," Yu sighed, "I'm not one for showing off." He unsheathed his katana

"Have some pride for once…." With that, the Faunus's figure faded into the blackness, his presence now unknown to anyone in the room but himself.

Yu closed his eyes, feeling a tranquil peace wash over him as he inhaled a deep breath, calming himself and blocking out all outside noise and distractions. Soon, the constant cheers and chatter of the crowd faded from his mind along with the barren arena before him, leaving him in an endless dark void. Then, it happened.

Without hesitation, he twisted around and swung his blade into the empty air, feeling it harshly collide and scrape against something equally metallic and cold. The boy opened his eyes, only to be met with another pair of astonished silver orbs as their owner forcefully clashed blades with the other. Yu reacted as quickly as could when he heard a clicking sound from his enemy. He flared up his Semblance, allowing a large wave of electricity to hit Akira head on while the Faunus pulled out a pistol and fired at him at point blank range, causing both to be forced back by the damage of each other's attacks.

Akira rapidly fired his pistol at inhuman speeds, sending a horizontal rain of bullets at Yu, who swiftly reacted by blocking each wave of deadly fire with his blade, moving it left, right, center, up, down, and so on. He felt a sick pop come from one of the individuals rounds that exploded, sending a wave of chilly mist rushing into his face as a large pile of icicles threatened to pierce through his body, coming at him at blinding speeds. Instead of being phased like most probably would, he plunged head-on into the wall of ice, turning into a bright bolt of thunder that shot through the crystals and charged straight into a prepared Akira, who blocked a wide downward slash from the other, which sent a sizeable wave of energy across the room.

"Not bad…." The Faunus mumbled, a smirk on his face.

"Oh, I'm just warming up…." Yu charged his blade with his Semblance as well as a stream of red hot Fire Dust, "I noticed my electricity wasn't as effective this time, so I think I might spice things up a little." With that said, his blade started to burn so powerfully bright that it started to obscure his opponent's vision, causing the Faunus boy to smile even more. Akira felt his Aura depleting with each consecutive blow, while Yu got faster and faster with his lightning-quick reflexes. A blocked downward slash here, a dagger to the boy's cheek there. Akira himself had earned a knee to the gut with his enemy's supernatural speed, sending him crashing into the other side of the arena. Yu sped after his flying body, causing the trickster to grab his gun and shoot out a hook that wrapped around the other's form. It was followed by a backflip in the air that reversed the momentum onto his opponent, sending the gray-haired man slamming into a pillar and shattering part of its concrete construction.

Yu jolted up, slashing away at any strings before finding himself alone on the floor again. However, the peace of the battlefield was interrupted by a bright flash in front of his eyes, turning his entire field of vision into a burning white and drowning out his hearing as he felt several presences radiate from his surroundings. Blinded and with no other choice, he began to quickly dispatch anything he suspected of being his opponent to no avail as chips of cool ice and brittle earth flew from his golden blade. His movements became more chaotic as he moved at insane speeds to avoid any oncoming projectiles, but felt something odd about the floor, as well as a general drop in the temperature of the air as he blocked another hail of bullets and elemental attacks headed his way. It was only when he made a misstep in his desperate attempts to regain the upper hand did he realize his mistake. His foot slipped on the textureless floor, causing him to plummet to the ground while he finally got back most of his sight.

"Shit…" That was when he truly realized. He saw Akira standing up above on one of the ceiling fixtures, a mammoth-sized chunk of ice next to him. Yu scrambled to activate his Semblance and block, but it was too late. The dark-haired Faunus cut the strings, allowing the giant iceberg to descend and brutally smash into the desperate body on the floor, sending a deafening thud and miniature quake ripple to throughout the classroom.

A moment passed. There was no movement under the ice.

Another moment passed. Akira frowned.

Everyone watched Yu's Aura gauge drop to the red, continuing to deplete itself each minute as they waited. Glynda opened her mouth to call the match but stopped, astonished by her own eyes.

Little by little, a small crack started to form in the ice, until it eventually became a large blue fissure that reached the edges of the titanic-sized prison, forcing it to crumble and fall. An ear-splitting boom was followed by a great eruption of shattered ice that blew toward the audience, sending countless chunks flying into multiple different directions until the cold icy prison was no more.

Yu Narukami stood in the center of the mess, his eyes burning with an immeasurable amount of rage while his body was surrounded by a glowing yellow aura that radiated outward in flashes of white electricity. His once red aura gauge started to rapidly ascend from a cheery crimson to a brilliant orange, and finally, a fully healthy leafy green. It gave the teen enough energy to spring forward at an impossible speed as he almost teleported in front of Akira's face and forcefully yanked him by the hair, delivering a series of wild slashes that crippled the boy's movements. Four on the arms, twenty to the chest, and thirty on the legs before smacking him square in the face, sending him roughly crashing into the icy floor like a speeding comet, creating a sizeable crater. Yu placed both of his feet on the ceiling, stretching out his sword with electricity coursing through his body, launching himself like a rocket with his blade as the nose, cutting through the air, and stabbing into the Aura shield of his target from above, finally taking the Faunus's Aura into the red.

"Didn't see that one coming, huh?" Yu glared at his downed opponent. There was a minute between the two before the other chuckled.

"Haha… you cheating bastard."

"And what if I did?"

"Then I can do it too, you idiot" Suddenly, and almost without warning, Akira sprung up and fisted the gray-haired student in the face while his gauge miraculously recovered from a drop of red to a fully-colored green. Yu's immediately dropped to half of what it used to be from just a single punch, shocking the entire audience. Meanwhile, Yu returned an equally, if not more powerful, blow in retaliation that sent the Faunus a few feet back, bringing his Aura bar even lower than the Altas heir's. However, their Auras would immediately heal as if by magic, devolving the two's match into an uncoordinated, ugly fist fight that had Akira again going for Yu's face while the taller blocked his fist with one hand and repeated a similar process for the other. They locked both knees, hands, and feet, leaving the two at a complete stand still, each glaring into the other with stubborn rage.

"Give up!" Akira shouted, his eye twitching.

"You give up." Yu softly whispered, refusing to move.

It was then, with no other options left, did the two realize what they had to do. Silently they watched each other, until both raised their heads and rammed into each other in a deadly headbutt that forced and blew the two apart in opposite directions, shattering both of their Auras in the process.

"That's enough, the both of you!" Glynda stepped between the two, waving her wands in the air, which switched on the lights and fixed any damage done to the area.

"I'm sorry I went a little overboard Professor—"

"Students, due to certain malfunctions of the Aura gauge program, I'm afraid further class matchups will be cancelled for today." The blonde ignored the boy, turning to address the astonished crowd, and earned herself a few loud groans and complaints at the sudden news.

"Was there really something up with the program?" Whispers and rumors started to surface from the audience, many unsure of what they had just witnessed, while others tried to come to their own conclusions.

"Dunno man, worked fine for me." Another student shrugged.

"Maybe it really is some kind of bug. There's no way a person's Aura can go up like that." A group of boys sitting at the very corner of the room discussed.

"With that said, the school will work diligently to resolve the issue. For now, you are all to have an early dissmal. Please refrain from making trouble for any other classes in session as you make your way out." Glynda said almost robotically, watching to make sure everyone had exited the room before turning to the two she instructed to stay.

"May I join the after-party too, Professor?" Minato appeared from out of nowhere, walking onto the stage and shocking the instructor.

"Mr. Arisato, how did you—?" She then sighed, feeling a small migraine. "Very well, they are both a part of your team."

"We have to explain our strange Aura recovery right?" Yu asked, knowing Ozpin likely already knew about Minato.

"You all will come with me to the Headmaster's office immediately."

* * *

"It's nice to see you are doing well, Mr. Arisato. How's Ms. Rose?" Ozpin sipped from his mug, seated comfortably in a large office chair, while Glynda stood beside him as his assistant, a notebook and pen in her hands.

"Same to you, Professor. It's been a while. She's still adjusting to the school, but she's making friends. I know we're not here to talk about that, though," Minato conversed, seeming as casual as ever.

"Indeed, as much as I would like to go through with the formalities, I'm afraid I might need to cut straight to the point with this unexpected meeting." Ozpin narrowed his eyes, his tone growing more stern upon addressing the group again, "Now, Mr. Aritsao, could you kindly explain the abnormalities of your teammates? In all my years as the headmaster of this school, I have never heard of such… malfunctions in our systems."

"Quite easily, sir," Minato stepped forward, feeling the searing glare from both Akira and Yu. "They're both magic users, just like me." In that moment, his raven-haired teammate looked like he wanted to slit his throat right then and there.

"Mr. Arisato… is this true?" Glynda tried processing this new information in head. As each minute passed, she felt more and more overwhelmed. Were there more people like them out there? The existence of people powerful enough to counter the current Fall Maiden seemed too good to be true, almost like a blessed dream.

"Yes…." Yu was the first to admit, stretching his hand to a glowing blue card while Minato did the same.

"And what about you, Mr. Kurusu? I don't blame you for being so cautious of your situation." Ozpin subtly pressured the Faunus, already bringing both of his teammates to his side. Truly, there was no escape.

"You're scarier than you look." Akira grumpily held out a similar card to the others.

"Interesting," the older man mused, "Now, can all of you explain how you managed to recover your Aura with these powers?"

Yu smashed his card with a glass-shattering effect, making the two instructors cringe slightly before they both saw a tiny winged creature materialize before their eyes. "This little lady here is Pixie. She has a healing power called Dia that can help someone recover from their injuries."

"They probably channeled her powers without summoning her entirely and used that to boost their Auras." Minato explained, amused at the shocked faces of the two adults.

"So this power can both help a person recover and heal their auras?" Glynda felt her heart tighten. Just how much were these students— no, _forgien magic users_ capable of? She thought back to the numerous life-threatening injuries many of her students in the past had received from being out on missions and risking their lives to hunt down the Grimm. Could some of them have graduated if magic like this was around? Her hands trembled at the possibility. Even the school hospital was filled with countless unconscious teens that didn't deserve such ruthless treatment from the real world.

"If I'm correct, aside from unfathomable powers of destruction, you all are also capable of healing as well? Are there any other fantastical abilities I should be informed of, Team MAY? Any that can produce substances out of thin air, or time-altering spells?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow, speaking half-jokingly, but half-suspecting the three to produce a plate of pasta from nothingness, or reverse the stream of time out of pure boredom just to mess with him.

"Sorry, no such thing Professor. As much as I'd like to find a solution to world hunger and finishing my essays on time, neither can happen with the help of magic, especially the latter." Minato joked back, earning an amused smile from Ozpin and a frown from Glynda.

"Do try to stay on top of your classes, Mr. Arisato. I may not have a job in the end if my students start failing in their first year at Beacon." The headmaster gave a humorous chuckle. "Thank you for your time, boys, you can all return to campus."

With a flick of a hand, all previous hints of magic and tension were erased from the room, leaving what resembled a meeting between three normal students and two instructors. However, just when the three were about to leave, they heard someone speak.

"W-wait!" The boys turned to face a concerned-looking Glynda. Her voice lacked her usual formality and her posture was sloppier than usual.

"Is there a problem, Glynda?" Ozpin said surprised, noticing the woman's odd behaviour.

"No sir… it's just… may I ask them a favor?" The once stern instructor choked on her words, unsure of how to express her ideas in concrete words.

"What kind?" Akira crossed his arms in a frank response.

"It… has to do with the school's injured students" Glynda admitted, a pinch of guilt clinging to her heart, "Can you help them?"

Ozpin stayed silent.

"Sure, is there anything—" Yu was cut off by Akira.

"How? What can we get out of it?" The dark-haired boy seemed unmoved, putting on a blank mask.

"There's also the problem of their miraculous recoveries. A person can't just heal from an Ursa attack overnight. What I think my teammate is trying to say is that we're putting ourselves at risk by helping you." Minato stepped between the two males, seeing the death glares from Yu and the cold indifference from Akira.

"Would it help if we offered a reward in exchange?" Ozpin became just as calculating, his manner of speech shifting from one of a respected headmaster to that a shrewd man. This benefited him in the long run, after all.

"A favor for a favor doesn't sound bad, does it?" Akira wasn't letting the older man take the upper hand. "Using magic to help a whole hospital of people will likely drain us to exhaustion."

"And what kind of favor would you propose, Mr. Kurusu? I assume it has to be worth the risk and work you all have to put in for the task?" The headmaster concluded. Not even the Vale council was this pressuring to deal with. It made him wish he had more kids like Ruby around.

"That, I have to discuss with my team in private. It'd be unfair for me alone to ask for something for myself."

"Agreed," Minato patted both Akira and Yu on the back, "As the leader of Team MAY, I accept this proposal."

"Very well then. It seems we have come to a deal, Team MAY."

* * *

"Did you really have to ask them for that?" Yu slammed the door to their dorm shut.

"They were asking to abuse our Personas. What were you going to do? Cave in to their demands?" Akira shot back, then felt a tug on his collar.

"What's wrong with you? Do you think you're better than everyone else? Those kids stuck in that hospital helped save hundreds of people just by being out there and putting their lives on the line and you can't even be bothered to help them a little?" Anger boiled inside of Yu's stomach. His teeth clenched and his fists were inches away from punching the bastards in front of him.

"If you think that favor was an easy deal, then you're a moron! Were you even listening in the office?! We're putting our own asses on the line in both risking introducing the entirety of Remnant to magic that could cause wars and draining ourselves dry of our powers if we go through with your idiotic plans!"

"That still doesn't change the fact that you turned a simple favor into some kind of leverage for yourself! We all could have accepted that reward like the Professor offered and not risk so many people's lives for your petty power trip!" What infuriated Yu was not how Akira rejected the favor at first, but what he did with it afterward.

"I want to help those people as much as you! But didn't you see how Ozpin was so willing to deal with us? What about the way he interrogated us for what else we could do?! He's using us as much as we're using him and I'm not letting him take advantage of us!" Akira finally snapped, his eyes wide and hands shaking.

"Guys, guys, calm down." Minato put a hand on each male's shoulder, adding crushing amounts of pressure that caused them both to experience mild pain. "If we keep this up, the entire school will hear us." The bluentte's voice was polite, but he radiated a black aura of death.

"You…? Help people? Some Wild Card you are. I'm sure Igor made a mistake in choosing you. It's the reason you're here right?" Despite the warning from his leader, Yu never stopped. He burned his eyes into the pathetic existence that was the jackass in front of him.

"Igor? Igor?! You mean that long nosed THING that made me suffer for a stupid bet he made with some fuckwit of a god? Why am I here? Speak for yourself, you failure!" Akira yelled back, old emotions and sealed wound beginning to pour into the open.

"What the hell are you even talking about? I risked my life to defend my town and my loved ones!" The gray-haired Wild Card started to tear up, his words becoming more and more jumbled, "I'm no failure! You probably ditched all your friends and never looked back!"

It was Akira's turn to snap, "I went through _hell_ to help my friends! Don't you dare—!"

"And I ended the fucking world because I was a weak ass piece of shit that couldn't save anyone if I tried!" A third voice broke into a screaming match, piercing through the heavy atmosphere of the room.

Minato looked up, his face sunken with grief and his eyes darker than anything the two had ever seen. They were the eyes of someone who had witnessed something even more horrifying than death itself. He gazed up at the other two, with his expression being completely withered and beaten with pure shellshock.

"But I thought Izanami…" Yu murmured to himself, putting a hand to his mouth at the absolutely crippled state of his friend, for he resembled more of an ancient dying man than a young teenager.

"Yaldabaoth…" He could hear the other whisper with an equal amount of horror. Something felt terribly wrong.

"How can you say that…?" Minato stared into space like he was off in his own world, whatever he was seeing in his mind's eye had paled and petrified the boy. "The world ended with Nyx, back in 2009..." His voice was cold and robotic, it was as if he was just a human shell without a soul.

"2016 for me." Akira softened. Even saying the year out loud felt bitter.

"2011…" Yu was next, but how could that be? How could everyone have different dates for when the world ended? And each time by a different god.

All three sat down on the side of a bed.

"Here," Akira placed a blanket on Minato, who looked like he was shivering from an unseen force in the room, "take a deep breath and relax." Despite starting out with a cold and unapproachable attitude, this Akira was softy patting the back of his friend with worried eyes, signaling a drastic shift in his behaviour.

"Have some water." Yu grabbed a bottle but was unsuccessful in getting the attention of the shocked bluenette, "Minato? Minato?" The boy gingerly nudged his friend, only for his body to jump at the sudden contact, and the other watching him like a scared animal.

"S-sorry…" Minato said in a whisper, different from his usual,extroverted tone.

"Are you doing alright?" Akira asked.

"I'm fine…."

"You sure?" Yu felt the boy's words were as inaudible as the squeaks of a mouse.

Minato nodded, "Just tired is all."

"Want to lay down for a bit?" Akira suggested, although the entire trio didn't really seem well.

"No, I'm ok for now. I want to get to the bottom of what's going on…." Every word the bluenette put out felt like a struggle, but he tried to keep himself strong. He had finally found others like him, others that shared his pain.

"What got us in the first place, right? The inconsistencies too." Yu summarized the problem, a problem that lacked answers.

"Assuming all of our stories are true, the world also ended in different points in time…" Akira tried to find a solution to the problem.

"If it ended with me, then you guys shouldn't even be here." Minato said with melancholy.

"What if the world restarted after each time it ended? " Yu suggested. Izanami might have ended humanity but that still doesn't mean she could escape the eventual heat death of the universe.

"Unlikely, humanity only existed due to Nyx's interference with the earth. There's no way that would happen a second time and so on." The bluenette of the group explained, although it only managed to confuse his peers more.

"Nyx? Was that the being you were fighting against? Don't tell me it's basically the two brother gods of our world." A certain sense of dread began to permeate the air, as the being known as Nyx made both the intentions Yaldabaoth and Izanami sound rather mild in comparison.

"Nyx was the origin of all shadows and complex life on our planet," Minato paused feeling cold at even mentioning the star-eater, "You guys mentioned dealing with your own gods right? What were they trying to achieve?"

"The complete enslavement of humanity, because humanity itself prayed to be controlled." Akira narrowed his eyes, "Humans as a whole gave birth to it, too." His last words sounded bitter.

"Izanami wanted to shroud the world in fog because she feared humans would always run from the truth. Her conception was a similar story. A giant shadow born of the collective unconscious." Yu felt the wells of his stomach tighten at merely mentioning the monster that disguised herself as a goddess.

"Nyx was called to the world because humans wished for death…."

"And she gave birth to humanity." It was then that they all realized their futile struggles, and maybe even felt a pinch of guilt. Yaldabaoth and Izanami were at least flawed and defeatable, but to go up against the literal thing that conceived all life on earth was an entirely different story. The two shadow deities paled in comparison to the might that was the death goddess.

"See why I said that idea wouldn't work?"

The three mauled over the problem, coming up with different theories on how their individual timelines could have happened . Time passed, turning the bright blue of the sunny sky to a deep, dark purple littered with hundreds of individual stars. And yet, despite all their efforts, it came up empty and futile.

* * *

"Hey, thanks for coming out with me like this." Yu swung open a door to the rooftop, walking into a sea of glowing lights that illuminated the entire campus, from the twinkling yellow embers that dotted the tranquil night to the mysterious emerald orbs that hung silently amidst a tall majestic tower. The boy stepped onto the smooth blacktop, watching the starry sky and the empty area below.

"Yeah..." Akira followed closely behind, his ears twitching and listening in to make sure no one else but the two were around, "It's less cramped."

"So, any ideas yet? I've still got nothing." Yu tried to find words, any words that would make this meeting feel less awkward. It felt like a dark cloud constantly hung around the Faunus that made it impossible to converse with him normally.

Akira shook his head.

"What about where you're from?" He tried again.

"The slums of Mantle."

"No… no, I meant…" he felt his hand shake at the reply.

"Earth?" Akira answered, leaning against a wall.

"Yeah, our world. I was mostly a city kid all my life." Yu gave a nervous chuckle. Although, it was only when he moved to the country did he finally start to live again.

"Tokyo."

"Well… least we have something in common." The gray-haired boy sighed.

"Why don't we skip right to the point," Akira said softly, having finally had enough of the uncomfortable exchange. He lacked his usual indifference.

"Yeah, good idea." Yu took a deep breath, "Look… I'm sorry for going overboard back there. I should have considered the consequences and—"

"Why are you apologizing?" The reply had taken the gray-haired Persona-user by surprise. "You weren't wrong. I was being selfish."

Yu stood still, fumbling words in his mind, trying to process the sudden admission of guilt. "What?"

"Didn't you hear? I was being an asshole." The dark-haired Faunus shook his head with a bitter smile, "I haven't been called out like this for a while."

"Then, what was your life like back then? Did you have to do this a lot?" Curiosity urged him to ask the question that had plagued his mind ever since the other had mentioned his origin on Remnant.

"Remember what that Weiss girl said at the beginning, when we first met? Lying, cheating, and stealing. They truly were the only way to get by." He then pointed to his feline ears, "See these? They made things even worse in that blasted country." Twitching and bobbing up and down, the traits of a feral animal. The symbol of a Faunus. The symbol of being an inhuman creature. Akira yanked at his ears, an annoyed scowl plastered across his face.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Yu's eyes drooped. Compared to the dark-haired boy, he had been born in a place of unimaginable wealth. Him and many of his peers had to do barely anything to get what they wanted, which only fueled his guilt. "Back then, when I said I wanted equal rights for both humans and Faunus? I really meant it."

"Even if that happened, there would still be massive economic divides between the two. Hey, um… listen," Akira felt a lump in his throat, feeling the gaze at the other, "I'm.. .I'm sorry for calling you a coward." He mustered all the willpower he could to not to look away.

"It's alright."

"And for threatening you with a dagger…"

"I understand." Yu felt a hard fist impact his shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Stop being a pushover. One day, those wolves in Altas will bleed you dry if you keep this up." Akira furrowed his brows, hand raised as if to deliver another blow if necessary.

"No, I'd rather not take that wealth. Other people need it more. I dunno what I would do with that much money anyways." He stopped after he felt the searing glare from the Faunus. Mixed emotions of confusion, anger, and bewilderment all flashed in his eyes.

"You do realize you're the heir, right?" Akira's fist shook.

"Yeah." The gray haired heir replied blankly.

"At best they're going to make you a puppet and at worst they're going to find a way to make you a martyr and point fingers at the Faunus to further their own agendas." Akira waited for a reply, anything that would indicate a hint of sanity or self-preservation in the other's words. Then he saw his face darken.

"Yeah. I've known that for a while. I'm just waiting for that to happen…." Yu paled, his face drained of all color and spirit, leaving a sad, empty husk. His reply was soft and broken. It was the reply of someone who had already admitted defeat long ago.

"You're… insane." Akira took a step back, horrified.

"No," Yu said bitter, looking away "In a way, I see it as a fair punishment."

"Punishment?" The Faunus seemed to calm at the word.

"Despite the failure I was, I was rewarded with a life of complete luxury," Yu felt his eyes start to swell up, " I got everything and anything that I wanted living in that mansion." Hot tears started to stream down his face, "But then I realized how much of a jackass I was when I remembered dooming all my loved ones to that eternal shadow hell. The entire fucking Earth was dead, Akira! I should be in hell burning with the rest of them for what I did!" The heir screamed at the Faunus. "Instead, somehow, for whatever twisted reason, I was reborn into this… world. I know it's coming Akira, and I am waiting for it because there's no other reason I would be here—"

Smack.

Thud.

"Do you think I care?" A yellow flicker and shattering sound was heard as Yu rolled and tumbled to the ground. Shocked eyes witnessed a flash of white from above as the stunned boy rubbed his cheek. A harsh foot stomped on his abdomen, causing him to cringe in pain.

"If you keep spouting that bullshit, then I'll kill you right here, right now!" Akira pressed the tip of his dagger at the other's throat, his face stern. His hand shook.

"Akira, I—!" Before Yu could finish, he saw his assailant toss the dagger into the door, stabbing into its side. Panic started to surface from the Faunus's eyes as he saw someone burst open from the other side of the door.

"What are you doing?!" Pyrrah sped out from the darkness, throwing her metallic gold-and-red lance at Akira, who quickly jumped out of the way, while the girl ran up ramming her shield at full power, forcing the other to block with his bare hands.

"Tch!" Having been pushed to the literal edge of the building, Akira waved his hand in the empty air until it spawned a small azure fire swiftly taking shape into a simple black pistol. Reaching his arm to the side of the shield, he started to fire wild sparks of blazing blue at point blank range at the champion of Mistral, who flinched and retreated a few feet back from the mysterious ammo.

"Pyrrah, stop! It's not what it looks it!" Yu ran in between the too, using his body to block off either side from advancing any further.

"Yu! Can't you see what he was doing?! He was trying to kill you!" The crimson-haired champion pleaded, desperate to prevent a death while her entire body trembled at picturing the aftermath.

Akira clenched his teeth. It hurt badly.

"He was trying to help me!" The heir yelled back, still refusing to move.

"Jaune! What's going on?!" Yang was next to bust open the door, along with a short-haired male wielding a plain sword and shield.

"This is Beacon campus security! Arms up and we won't shoot!" Two fully armed and uniformed man aimed their rifles at the boy.

He felt his heart tighten. It was too familiar.

"Akira, no!" Ruby put her hands to her mouth, horrified, hiding behind Minato and Blake.

"Ugh! I knew he was a criminal!" Weiss pointed her rapier at Akira, "Give it up you, evil Faunus! To think you would actually target a Narukami!"

His heart shattered.

"You know what you dumbfucks?!" He yelled to no one in particular, screaming into the heavens, his arms stretched out wide, his face morphing into a devilish grin, "Maybe I am a fucking criminal! So what if I tried to kill that pathetic piece of shit?! All Altas elites are pigs!"

"N-no we're not! Shut up, shut up, you filthy Faunus!" Wiess stabbed her rapier into the ground, conjuring up a sharp row of jagged ice that shot toward the broken trickster, "Ah!" Suddenly and without warning, the row of ice was blown by an unknown wind as the guilty Faunus swung a hand in the empty air. Chucks of sharp icicles flew at the group and before anyone could do anything else, a blinding flash of white obscured the area, forcing everyone to cover up their eyes while some braced for the ice storm heading their way.

However, nothing happened. There were no panicked screams of being pierced by sharp white crystals, nor any feeling of wind in the air. Not even a subtle breeze as time marched on.

"He's gone!" Weiss stomped into the pavement. Everyone expressed their own versions of terror, anger, or anguish. Their minds were clouded, their spirits broken, and their bodies shaken by the unexpected experience.

And in that moment of anguish and frozen time, no had noticed the pools of warm water or melted ice.


	5. Castle of Lies

**Author's Notes:**

**Uh... Hi? Some of you may know me, some of you may not... Most of you probably don't give a shit but to introduce myself, I'm Nightlyy, sort of an adviser of this fic. My role is minimal but chief wanted me to introduce myself so here I am. Hopefully you enjoy this ride and speaking off ride, here is a small disclaimer. **

**I don't know much about this crossover section so I don't really know what is IN here but I'll be saying this right now, this tale will be different. It will be fast, different and brutal at times from what I know of the plot. For those of you who are not comfortable with, this is your chance and I hope you find something that fits to your liking, and for those who are still with me, buckle up and get ready for a roller-coaster. I'll pop up like a blue moon but since I'm here, might as well do the reviews. **

**Combine117: Violent inside joke. **

**Mr. Haziq: Pretty close but yes, they are from different timelines and all three of them are psychologically scarred from what you noted. As for the ultimate personas, you'll have to read and find out. Cheers.**

**thesneezingSOAB: Pretty sure P5 is set in 2016, going off by Rise being mentioned on TV. Dunno why ATLUS choose to stick to 20XX even after that. **

**EiNyx: you are badly missing the point of the story, as made clear in the last 3 chapters. if you haven't figured out the basic plot, theme and the eventual conclusion to this, you should stop reading as this is not for you.**

**OMNISENSE95: Well, you have to wait and find out and OC for what role? The cast with the inclusion of the three borderlines on being bloated. **

**Guest: Ding Ding... well, mostly ding ding... Cheers. **

**madmadMadshipper: I see all three of them huddling in the corner every now and them, tbh, until Yu pisses off Akira and all hell breaks loose. Correct, point to ponder is where exactly they failed? Have fun figuring that out and cheers!**

**Well, that's it for me. If you have questions, my inbox is open and with that, enjoy the ride!**

* * *

**Castle of Lies**

A warm cup of coffee settled atop a long transparent desk of metallic gears, its heat slowly dissipating into the still morning air as puffs of steam rose into the upper atmosphere, being greeted by a metallic jungle of ancient clockwork.

A hand picked up the cup and took a small sip of the warm liquid. "So what you are saying, Mr. Narukami, is this all true?" Ozpin gave a skeptical eye, currently scrutinizing the truthfulness of the information and the two students standing before his desk.

"We really weren't in danger, Professor Ozpin." Yu pleaded with the headmaster, his words a jumbled mess. "I… I… it was my words that aggravated Akira into doing what he did." The grey-haired boy felt a rock-like weight press onto his chest and hinder his ability to breathe.

"No, Mr. Narukami… you shouldn't solely blame yourself." Glynda softened, her grip loosening on her clipboard, "As your role models at Beacon, we shouldn't have pressured your team so hastily with such a monumental task." Realizing that the blame was shared by not only Yu, but the two adults in the room as well because of their eagerness to further own agendas, they had inadvertently caused a rift in the team and a needed asset leave the academy. The blonde instructor could clearly recall a choking atmosphere between the group as they last left the room.

"For now, all we can do is search for him." Minato crossed his arms in frustration, a frown creasing his face, "Professor, can you do us a favor?" He silenced the entire room with his voice, briefly causing the others to forget about their problems, his piercing gaze burning into their irises.

"Yes? How can we help?" Ozpin inquired, becoming equally as serious.

"As much as I want to continue this counseling session, we need to clean up our mess before word gets out," the bluenette said through dark eyes and bitterness. The situation already looked bad as it was, but if people were to learn of a Faunus-attempted assassination of an Atlesian heir….

"Agreed, Mr. Arisato. I will cover up the incident as per usual and put all campus security and any other staff members involved under a permanent gag order. All accusations against Mr. Kurusu will be erased from the records." The headmaster of Beacon said without much hesitation, as if he had planned such actions in advance, then his eyes narrowed, "However, I cannot say the same for our student witnesses."

"Yu and I will take care of our guys. I'm sure we can explain what really happened. But can you say on paper that you'll still give Akira a punishment for potential assault? It would be strange to hear that he got off scott free. We don't want anyone knowing about our talks." Minato suggested while him and Ozpin both received subtle yet astonished faces from both Glynda and Yu.

"I might say Mr. Arisato, for a first-year student, that is quite observant of you." Ozpin took another sip of his coffee, watching the bluenette with a glint of suspicion in his ancient eyes.

"I could say the same for you, Professor. Sometimes, you're just not what you seem." A brief silence fell in the room with either side refusing to divulge any more information, followed by a palpable tension in the air.

"Perhaps we should call a truce for now." A faint smile started to spread across the old man's face, a certain sense of amusement rising from his voice.

"True, my team should get going, too. Searching for Akira will probably take a while." Minato patted Yu on the shoulder, signaling for the two to head for the office elevator. With a silent dismissal and faint sound of a small elevator arriving at the top floor, the two left without another word.

"Can we trust him…?" Glynda found herself musing out loud after the surreal exchange. Minato Arisato seemed less and less like the average student the more they interacted. One moment he appeared as a laid back kid, and another had him trading wits with Ozpin, even giving off a similar vibe.

"Mr. Arisato is certainly an interesting individual, but I wouldn't say we _couldn't_, Glynda…." The older man pulled up a file showing a familiar blue haired individual, eyes scanning the pale blue screen for any piece of curious information.

"Sir, this isn't his student file, is it?" Ozpin found his assistant peering over his shoulder to look at the screen. "You ordered a complete background check on Mr. Arisato?" Instead of averting her eyes, Glynda felt herself digging deeper and deeper into her student's history out of sheer curiosity. Scrolling past several sections of mundane filler, she stopped at a particular paragraph as she began to feel ill for even attempting to do so. "The poor boy… so that's why he so fiercely protected Ms. Rose…."

"It seemed he had a rough past..." After looking through several more tabs, Ozpin opened up the next file, this one being of Akira Kurusu. "I fully inspected the other two, but isn't this one in particular rather off?"

"How so?" Once again, Glynda read through the file, and yet this one still felt somewhat normal, compared to the bluenette's. Although there were a few instances of bad luck here and there, the dark-haired Faunus's life seemed rather plain for a huntsman-in-training. "Are you sure, Professor Ozpin? Apart from his training, he appears… rather normal, for a student."

"Normal, yes. However, don't you think it's a little _too_ normal?" Ozpin mused out loud, "Although countless events in each individual's life may mirror similarities with their peers, doesn't this one seem to do this particularly well?"

"You mean it blends in with all the others?" The blonde felt a heavy presence on her chest.

"Precisely. A loosely scattered thread of mismatched stories, all sewn together by the hand of a master craftsman."

* * *

Yu quietly leaned against the cold elevator wall, his back hunched and his eyes in deep thought. He steadily watched the distant rings of white slowly descend from one floor to another as it highlighted their eventual destination in a bright luminous halo, followed by a faint bing and the opening of two sliding steel doors.

"Come on, let's go sort this out with the others while we can." Minato turned to him, a comforting smile appearing on his face. Stepping into a dimly-lit lobby containing a scarcely filled reception, the reflected light from the elevator quickly disappeared from his face, leaving a colorless plain of gray.

"Do you think they'll believe me…?" A tinge of pain clung at his chest. Everyone was still recovering from the shock, some taking it worse than others. What would he even say?

"We'll have to make them believe either way. There's no way around it this time." The somber bluenette took the lead, heading for the dorms. He stopped at a particular gray door on the side of a barren hallway. "If we don't, Akira will be in far more trouble than we could imagine."

"..."

Minato tilted his head in a silent gesture, as if asking if the other was ready, which was quickly met with a small nod. Then, in the span of a heartbeat, the door to their dorm instantly swung open, leading into a room populated with several concerned faces.

"Finally! I was wondering if the Professor had held you guys for a police interrogation, too." Weiss sat on the side of a neatly made bed, her arms firmly crossed in a childish pout.

"Weiss!" A low whisper came from an irate Ruby, condemning the heiress for her rude comment, as did several other faces.

"So what did Ozpin say?" Yang eyed them for an eager answer, her fists already curled in the ideal form for an attacking brawler, fire burning in her lilac gaze.

"Guys, guys… maybe it's best we don't jump to hasty conclusions here." Jaune gave a nervous smile, lifting both of his hands to do a pushing motion in the air.

"I'm with Jaune, it's best that we hear everything from Yu _before_ judging Akira's actions. After having time to think about this, doesn't it seem odd to everyone that Akira would attack him out of the blue like this?" Although Pyrrha agreed to hear out the entire story, her face told an entirely different one in the form of a weary and troubled air hanging loosely from her fair visage.

"Thanks, Pyrrha." Yu stepped forward, feeling all of the group's heads turn to his a slow and deep breath, he began his explanation. "As I said before… Akira was only trying to help—" he was cut off by a few grunts from both Weiss and Yang, "Akira was trying to knock some sense into me for something I shouldn't have said…." He re-worded his statement to be more clear.

"Was that the reason why you two were on the roof?" Blake inquired in curiosity, there was oddly concern in her eyes.

"Yeah, it was for a personal matter. I was the one who asked him for help after all." Yu admitted with a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Wait, you're telling me that you told the guy who pulled a _knife_ on you to meet on the school roof?" Yang said in shock and disbelief, watching the other as if he were a mad man.

"Yang's right. Teammate or not, asking that Faunus after what he did to you was simply irresponsible." The snow-white heiress chided, her voice filled with a sharp, condescending air, looking down on her Atlesian counterpart.

"As if you were any better." Blake shot back, being reminded of how Weiss had treated Akira when they first met.

"What? No, from what I was told, he pointed that knife at him just based on the mere fact that he was from Atlas. If anything, my actions were completely justified!" Fearing an attack on her reputation as a Schnee, the heiress of the Dust company had no choice but to defend herself.

"Well, maybe if you didn't behave like such a brat, he wouldn't have thought to raise his weapon at a citizen of Atlas in the first place." Weiss reeled back, ready to flame the darkly-dressed girl.

"Weiss, Blake, please calm down!" Ruby stepped in between her two teammates, fearing another heated of argument would ensue. "We're not here to fight." The red-hooded huntress-in-training said in a firm voice, avoiding the death glares from her snowy teammate and the cold hostility of the other.

"If you both want to share anything with the group, you can." Minato made sure to pound in the humiliation, "Remember, we'll be here to remember this all later."

"Yu, please go on…." Pyrrha felt herself tiring out already. "Can you tell us why you believe Akira was innocent?"

After a moment of pause, the boy started up again, "Because Akira _isn't_ the person you guys thought he was."

"He isn't?" Nora found herself leaning in to the conversation, wild imaginations of what Yu meant flooding her mind, none of which were close to the truth. Among the room of students, many had expressions ranging from light confusion to even heavy confirmations of their own suspicions.

"It's true, I can bear witness for him." Minato was met with several raised brows.

"Akira wasn't an assassin, nor was he a bad guy. To be fully honest, I trusted him enough to call him out onto the roof. I was the one who prompted him to attack me with my words."

"Before anyone comments something stupid, it was extremely private." Minato raised a sharp warning, preventing any idiotic comments.

"And you expect us to believe that?" Weiss's face creased.

"But that still gives us no solid proof—" Yang felt her sister cut her off. Ruby stood up and walked to the center of the crowd.

"Guys, I don't think we should pry any further." She gave Yu a sympathetic look before turning to the rest, spreading out her arms in a wide gesture. "I'm sure we all have stuff we wouldn't want to share openly with everyone else. If Yu felt so trusting of Akira that he was willing to talk to him about something so private, then they must have been good friends."

"You know what, guys? Ruby's got a point, I don't think I would be comfortable with sharing my secrets with just anyone." Jaune shrugged, supporting the small girl.

"I'm sure we can all relate…." For a split second, Blake eyed her bow.

"And for anyone who still has their doubts? You can," the bluenette approached his fiery childhood friend, "please give Akira a second chance."

Yang saw Minato reach out a hand, a pleading look crossing his face while a visage of frustration lined her own.

"I bet my own reputation as a leader on it." He felt the blonde scrutinize his every word, passing judgement on his every action in dead silence. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes seemed to stretch on to the end of time as he waited for an answer. And then it happened.

"Fine…" Yang sighed, admitting defeat to the bluenette. "But if you're wrong, then I'm going to beat him into oblivion." She took his hand, still unsure of what to think of the situation.

* * *

"So all we need to do now is search for him?" Yang said hesitantly, walking out of the room with the others, her younger sister and Minato by her side.

"Any idea where he might be?" Ruby didn't know the young man well enough to guess.

"Maybe try the local hotel chains?" Blake kept pace with everyone.

"He couldn't have ran far, it's only been a day." Pyrrha added.

"My guess would be that we should ask around the city first." Minato suggested, continuing to trade plans back and forth between the group. While the bluenette was having some success in organizing a search party, Yu wasn't so fortunate. Instead of meeting back up with any of the others, he found an annoyed Weiss blocking his path forward. And as the snowy princess kept her stubborn stance, tapping one foot on the floor, he heard the group ahead slowly growing more and more distanced until they were fully swallowed by the colorful chaos that was the Beacon campus.

"Um, can I help you?" Their meeting was starting to get awkward.

"We need to talk." she refused to move.

"About what? Look, you really need to take my word for it, he really wasn't doing anything wro—"

"No, not about that, you dolt. Why are you so fiercely defending the Faunus? You do realize what their kind has done to our respective families, right?" Without much hesitation, she again put her loathing of the Faunus race on full display, although it was more the face of a hurt child than any real anger towards the boy. His differing stance on Faunus-kind had been irking her for a while.

"There are no differences between Faunus and humans, as far as I'm concerned." Yu replied dryly. A frown had made its way onto his face.

"How can you say that? Humans aren't the ones targeting our aren't the ones killing off our family friends, or kidnapping our board members for ransom. Why do you continue to support these… these monsters?" Unlike her childish fits of rage from before, she looked genuinely frightened from being reminded of the savage actions of the animal-traited humanoids, her arms wrapping her body like a protective cocoon, followed by a serious rage in her icy-blue eyes. An intense cocktail of fear, anger, and morbid curiosity had prompted her to approach the heir for answers. Answers she would never get back home. "Weren't you targeted too, when you were a child…?"

"Yeah, I was." Yu said rather blunt, "But I'm not scared of them like the rest of Altas."

"Scared?" Weiss was about to go on another tantrum of pride. However, she was thankfully halted by his next words.

"Tell me, if you believe all Faunus to be evil, how many actual Faunus have you met in real life?"

"Why would I ever meet with a sav—"

"Just tell me!" It wasn't a question anymore, but rather a firm demand. "Think back to your entire life, how many Faunus have you actually met apart from those blasted rumors and stories?" Yu observed the troubled princess as she scrambled to form any coherent reply, her mind rattled by the revelation.

"N-none… at all." Weiss began to pale, "B-but still doesn't change that the fact that they rob and murder humans!" She became more flustered.

"And humans murder humans. Contracted huntsmen from the underground do just as much damage as some of the Faunus. Reason why I said there's no difference between the two. Evil isn't just a trait of one race, just as good isn't present in everyone we meet." The heir reasoned. In a way, he may never understand the harsh stand-off between the two races, due to his alien perspective as a foreigner of this world.

"Then what about the White Fang? They're nothing but animals that go around doing horrible things to people!" The heiress countered. To her, every Faunus must have been affiliated with or supported them in some way.

"Have you ever visited the Schnee mines in Mantle? Many have no choice but to join that radical group. Being severely maltreated, coupled with no real opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty, joining the White Fang was their only choice." His first time in Mantle had left him a horrible impression of the new world, and his times after had made him question the morality of the humans in Remnant.

"Ugh, are you implying that the Schnee Dust company is partly responsible for those scrooges in the White Fang?!" Although she tried to deny that thought, the poor treatment and injustice committed in that part of Remnant did lend credit to the theory. "I refuse to believe such outlandish jests—"

"Then how about you tell me why they do the things they do." Yu's eyes narrowed, his borrows becoming more furrowed as time went on.

"B-Because they want to wipe out humanity! They despise humans!" Weiss stomped on the floor, throwing down her fists from the air, seeming ready to go to war with the entire Faunus race.

"And why do you think they hate humanity?" Outraged and in denial, she tried to come up with a counter, but he started to walk away.

"H-hey!" Seeing that the heir was about to leave, Weiss attempted to intercept him again, only to be caught mid way by the arm, locking her in place while she felt bitter silver orbs leer into her own, causing the girl to take a few steps back while trying to shake herself free of the male's death grip. "L-let go!"

"Maybe it's the same reason you fear them as they fear you." She felt his hand tighten even more, forcing her to try even harder to break. And yet just as suddenly as the massive force had curled around her arm, it lifted, leaving her confused and broken form standing in the middle of the endless halls. "Don't believe everything the elites tell you…." Giving the girl one last look of brief understanding, he went on his way and faded from her world.

On that particular day and particular time, for reasons she could not describe, she was left entirely drained, in body, mind, and soul. Without the energy to do much else, she opened the door to her dorm and curled up in bed with a pillow in arms, exhausted and alone. And as her imaginary world of perfect idealism crumbled in the sea of her mind, a fairy tale castle built out of years of spotty stories and twisted lies shattered into a thousand icy shards, freeing her of her chilly prison.

* * *

"Ohhh, it's been days!" Ruby slumped her head on the cafe table, her legs aching from traversing through half of the city and her will to go on crushed by the lack of progress.

"Want me to get you another sundae? Minato casually sipped from a glass of iced tea, petting the girl on her head as if to comfort her. It was another fine day in the city of Vale, as cars hurriedly zoomed by the congested roads, creating large, elaborate displays of clogged traffic for miles to come, while a wave of constant murmurs settled in and around every corner of every business and every building in the metropolis. A group of chattering girls strolled by, immersed in the latest celebrity gossip, while a parade of businessmen each glued themselves to their scrolls, standing near a populated crosswalk, all desperately trying to beat the unrelenting city crowd.

"Don't you think that's a little much, Ruby?" Yang sat between the two, enjoying a frozen dessert of her own, eating the last of her ice cream.

"Lies, one can ever eat enough ice cream!" Childishly pouting and slamming her fist onto the table, Ruby made sure to hide her face from the blazing afternoon sun by closely hugging the shadow of the wide parasol stationed in the middle of the table.

"But still… this is a problem," Blake said in a low whisper, turning to the vast jungle of people before her, "Finding him in a population as large and dense as this will take a while." Despite their mad efforts to scour every available hotel, establishment, and business in Vale, none seem to have encountered the elusive frizzy-haired Faunus.

"His Semblance alone poses a huge problem." Having the ability to literally disappear from sight and hide his presence from pretty much anyone, Minato really wasn't surprised that Akira would use this against them in the harshest way possible. He inwardly sighed to himself. If only he had a Persona like her's. The ability of clairvoyance was extremely underrated.

"Not to mention how she labeled him a criminal…." Blake gazed at her own reflection in the glass, seeing a frown spread across her visage.

"Speaking of Weiss, I don't think I've seen her around lately." Yang's memory of the heiress was hazy at best, but the absence of her constant bickering had left the blonde feeling strange.

"Mmm, we should just leave her be, Yang, she doesn't look like she wants to help anyway…." Ruby groaned, shoving a big spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, making her resemble a grumpy chipmunk. Weiss's apathy and aloofness for the past week had made the optimistic huntress-in-training give up on her entirely.

"I wonder how the others are doing." Minato held his head to the sky. As of now, no response had come from the group chat.

* * *

Scraps of garbage laid across aged concrete streets and beaten alleyways. All places dirty and covered, overgrown and bare, robbed of their former complexions and function. Yet, the roads weren't any better, as fissures and pot holes of various lengths and sizes weaseled their way onto the battered cement that served and suffered through decades of neglect and disrepair. As though the inhabitants of the land had all gotten up one day and left this part of the city for years.

Crumbling and worn buildings stood side to side from one another, briefly conjuring up horrific images of monstrous Siamese twins with their surreal and warped appearance, from the blackened holes sealed tightly with rotting wood as if to keep some terrific entity on the other side from breaking out, to another that had been burned and gutted to the ground, leaving it a shell of its former self. Once again, it seemed as if all life had decided to leave this desolate place.

Weiss keenly inspected the area, concealing her rapier behind her oversized sleeve, as she stood beneath a malfunctioning street light that flickered in the afternoon light. Carefully, she matched the CCTV screencap of the street sign from her scroll to the one loosely hanging by a thread, slowly swaying in the wind. Hours ago, she had gotten the opportunity to inspect several days worth of CCTV footage from the Vale city police department due her vast connections as a Schnee, and now a particular hint from the cams had led her here.

"Excuse me!" She called out to a passing figure from the spotty area, who appeared to be a young deer Faunus. However, instead of getting the answers the heiress wanted, the figure's eyes widened at the sight of the well-dressed human and began to make a break for the closest alleyway. "H-Hey! Come back!" Sighing to herself, she tried a few more times with a few others, all ending up in complete failure, leaving her once again alone among the dead streets and broken neighbourhood. But then, it happened.

Suddenly, and without warning, she twisted around and swing her rapier, feeling a large gust of wind that was followed by a strong, blond blur colliding with her in the middle of the street, forcing the both of them to fall backwards to the ground.

"What in the world?!" Yet, before she could react, she saw a golden-haired male jolt up instantly from his position, yanking her by her arm and starting to dash away between several abandoned buildings while holding a bag of apples in his arms. "What are you doing?!" She struggled, trying to jab her blade into her assailant's head, swinging wildly only to miss each hit while they finally settled in an alley.

"Shhh, quiet!" the male gestured, putting a finger to his mouth, frantically turned back and forth to make sure they weren't being followed.

"And why should I listen to your demands, you filthy stree—!"

"The White Fang would _kill_ you if they saw a human in these parts!" The reply had only served to rile up the girl even more, disgust in her enraged eyes.

"White Fang—?!" She was briefly hushed when a few hooded figures brandishing several high-powered firearms came rushing out from the darkness.

"Search the premises, they couldn't have run far!" A distant voice shouted, followed by countless pairs of footsteps treading the ground beneath them.

"Hey, what are you...?" The stranger said in a panicked whisper, trying to hold the girl back.

"I'm going to teach them a lesson. Let me go…!" Weiss felt her hands tighten on her rapier as a chilly wind swept through the alley, causing the other to shiver.

"Listen, those guys are freaks! Normally, even I could kick their asses, but they have something weird going on!" The golden-haired male begged, desperately trying to hold her back from what was the equilvant of a suicide misson.

"And how about you _listen_!" Weiss directed her blade at the male, forcing him to flinch, feeling her icy-cold gaze burn a hole through his head. However, they were interrupted by what could only be described as an abrupt shock wave spreading across earth, rocking the ground back and forth while a colossal tornado of green wind shot up into the atmosphere, instantly engulfing any buildings or debris in the surroundings of its hungry rampage.

"See?! That's what I mean!" The male pointed at the large spiraling object in utter shock, "Those freaks have some kind of new wacko Dust in their hands!"

"There he is!" Soon, another choir of shouts sounded, accompanied by a hail storm of bullets that broke through the low howls of the twisting wind, penetrating parts of the brittle concrete buildings that crumbled to the floor with a loud thud.

"What's going on...?" Stunned and beyond shaken, the heiress braced the sharp winds and hurried to the battlefield. There was no Dust combination that could produce such collateral damage in one go. Putting an arm in front of her face to shield herself from the litter now flying in the air, she hurried to gain a better vantage point between two gutted buildings and widened her eyes at what she could make out as a lone figure trapped in the vertical wind tunnel surrounded by a squad of White Fang members.

"Hahaha! Is that all you've got?! And here I was worried for a second!" A low, booming laughter bellowed out from the massive emerald tornado, shocking a few hooded Faunus that decided to take a few steps back, raise their guns, and become ready to shoot on command.

"No way! Is that guy still alive?!" Weiss could see the disbelief and awe in the golden male's eyes. Then they both saw what appeared to be the squad leader put a special cartridge in his rifle and shoot out a rushing torrent of solid ice the size of several city blocks, which ran through the tornado and the figure inside. "Oh shit!"

There was a moment of tense silence.

The White Fang lowered their guns.

A small smirk started to spread across each of their faces, only to be broken by another shout.

"You call that a Bufudyne?! Pathetic!" As if the Heavens and earth decided to completely disregard the laws of nature, the ever-strong winds started to expand and be forced apart until it exploded along with the ice, sending a brutal wave of diamond dust to all of the surroundings, knocking down the squad of White Fang and throwing them back into slates of concrete.

"I-is that?!" Weiss wanted to charge straight out of her hiding spot, but held herself back.

"Wait! You know him?!" The blond sounded equally freaked, closely clinging on the window frame.

There, standing in the middle of the ruined battlefield was single dark-hooded figure with a black mask on his face and menacing silver eyes covered in tufts of messy raven hair. His arm outstretched in wide showman like gesture, as he started to pace toward the remaining White Fang members.

"S-stay away, you m-monster!" A large, hooded male held up his gun, clearly terrified out of his mind of the freak before him.

"You scum already had your turn. I think it's only fair that I got mine." The masked figure twirled his hand, forming a pistol out of pure azure that spat out bullets of flaming blue, sending them flying into several idle Faunus and knocking them out in an instant. The lone figure was left standing among a pile of unconscious bodies as the dust cleared.

"Should we run—?!" A bullet rushed between the two bystanders.

"You both can come out now." The masked male didn't move, until he saw who it was that stood up from her hiding spot. "Schnee…" He said the name with all of the world's curses.

"W-wait! Akira! I was looking for you!" Weiss admitted honestly, making sure that her weapon was visible and on the floor, implying that she had no plans of attacking the other.

"Yeah! What she said!" Unlike the girl, the blond beside her sounded somewhat rattled.

He lowered his gun. "Let's go. This isn't a safe place to talk."

* * *

"So what were you doing in prime White Fang territory?" Akira sat parallel to the other two in a small secluded café, sipping on a cup of brown coffee.

"To look for you." Weiss adamantly repeated herself again, crossing her arms.

"Lies."

"I'm telling the truth!" The heiress slammed a palm on the table, lighty shaking the condiments.

Feeling the huntress-in-training's gaze shred into his being, Akira raised a brow, "And why would a Schnee like _you_ be looking for a Faunus criminal such as myself?" He could see her face crease, but continued on "Don't tell you came to personally execute me yourself—!"

"NO!" No, no! When did I ever say that?!" Weiss's face became a hot tomato red, feeling a great urge to run her rapier through the other's face.

"Whoa there, man, she's clearly trying to help you here." The golden blond showed his monkey-like tail. "I'm a Faunus too, see? You can trust my word."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Sun Wukong! Just arrived from Mistral, you?" The friendly Faunus gave a cheery grin.

"Akira Kurusu." Akira greeted him with his signature frown, heavy bags under his eyes.

"Come on bro, not even a smile?" Sun was promptly ignored as the raven-haired male turned to Weiss.

"And you know him how?"

"I ran into him while looking for you." Weiss tried to shrug off their strange encounter, pointing at the blond Faunus.

"Look, she's really telling the truth, man. There's no way a girl like her would willingly wander into an area like that alone." What Sun thought was a good argument had earned him a jab from the snowy girl.

Akira watched the two bicker in a long, drawn out silence, carefully weighing his options. He gave a tired sigh, "Fine… let's say I believe you. Why have you come searching for me?"

"First, you have to tell me what _you_ were doing in a prime White Fang hot spot." Instead of straight up giving him the answer, the heiress couldn't help but want an equal exchange of information. "And what were those strange types of Dust? How did you… survive?"

"I didn't agree to swap information, nor do you have anything I would want. I could leave whenever I want to, you know?" All of his words were filled with a degree of bitterness, his eyes narrowed and his voice cutting through the air like a piercing blade.

"F-fine! I came here to get you to go back to Beacon!"

"Absolutely not."

"W-what? Why?! Everyone's been worried sick about you! They've all been searching for you none stop!" Frustration, anger, and disbelief boiled equally in her system.

"Because I'm not wanted there, remember? I tried to murder an elite from Atlas." Every sound, every word stung him the more he recalled that memory.

"Yu explained the whole thing, it wasn't your fault…." Weiss's eyes drooped, a wave of guilt washing over her heart. "Professor Ozpin understands too… so please, you won't get in any trouble…." Her last words were a lie, or so it appeared.

"What gave you a change of heart?" Although Akira held his poker face, deep down he had a different reaction.

"N-nothing! Akira! ...I'm s-sorry for insulting you and your heritage…." All the years of unjustified hatred and blind zealous fury had hit her like a speeding train, completely obliterating any old sense of self. Her years in the Schnee manor had taught her to be apologizing and cold, but after experiencing the real world, her lessons with her father seemed to contrast with it as much as night and day. It made her wonder, just for a moment, exactly how many other callous behaviors her family installed into her while she was trapped in that prison.

In the midst of her apology, something familiar and warm trailed down her fair face. A drop of transparent liquid clung to the edge of her visage. Then, a gentle hand could be felt on her shoulder as she looked up to a softened Akira, a faint smile gracing his once solemn face.

"You wanted me back in Beacon, yes?"

* * *

"Guys! Guys! You won't believe this!" Jaune burst open the door to the JNPR dorm, gasping for air as he tried to relay the unexpected news, shocking everyone inside.

"Jaune, calm down. Can you tell us what's going on?" Yang was the first to get up from her seat.

"Oh! Is this a surprise?!" Nora jumped, giddy and excited for whatever was to come next.

"Did something happen?" Blake asked, curious.

"I-it's Akira! He's back! A-and you guys won't believe who he's with!" Finally breaking the suspense, the blond broke the news in one triumphant shout, which alerted the whole group.

"Who…?" Yu said in awe, treating the moment as if it were a surreal dream. Who could have convinced the boy to come back?

"Weiss!"

"WHAT?!" Without another word shared amongst the band of worried first-years, they all fumbled outside, dashing toward the campus entrance with several bodies almost colliding into one another upon reaching their destination. They saw three figures standing in the dusk of the brilliant sun. Two males and a girl; one with twitching obsidian cat ears, one with a long monkey tail, and finally, a short snowy-haired human girl.

"Akira! We were so worried about you!" Ruby shouted atop the chaos as everyone clustered together, forming a half circle around the three. "Weiss, how you were able to find him?"

"We looked all over the city for you." Yang couldn't help but be happy that there would be no more search parties in future, and maybe for the Faunus's return.

"You don't look so well." Blake observed the tiredness in his eyes.

"And who's the new guy?" Nora finally decided to address the third figure in the crowd, which was followed by a murmur of agreements.

"We should go discuss this in the dorms. It's a long story." Before anyone else could ask any more questions, Weiss promised to answer the endless stream of questions once everyone hurried back, quickly dispersing the small gathering as they all trailed back. She watched each and every one of her peers file back into the building, leaving only her and Yu.

"Hey… um..." She didn't know what to say, averting her eyes while feeling a wave of embarrassment.

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Surprise and confusion laced her face, finding a kind smile on the boy's face. What she expected as another bitter lecture turned into a warm expression of gratitude. "F-for what…?" Her breathing halted, her movements ceased, and she felt a large knot in her throat preventing her from speaking any more words.

"Seeking your own truth." Yu replied softly.

She became even more perplexed, "Aren't you at least going to thank me for bringing him back? It was anything _but_ easy, you know!" She pouted, sassily placing a hand on her hips, as if teaching the other a lesson. Then she heard him chuckle.

"That too..."

"What's so funny?" His laughter only grew louder as they started to walk back.

"N-nothing." He just kept going.

"Yu Narukami! I demand you to explain yourself!" Weiss followed closely behind, childishly praying for an answer, all the while feeling an odd fluffy sensation in her heart. Despite not knowing the mystery of the boy's sudden burst of laughter, deep down, she understood the meaning of his previous words. For one to seek their own truth, they must abandon all forms of established beliefs from the external world and instead, focus on the ongoings of the inner world, letting their own ideals and thoughts gently raise up to the surface, unspoiled by any outside influence.

* * *

"So I was running from these thugs, right?" Sun tried to imitate a sprinting motion in the dorm, while people either cheered him on or eagerly awaited for more of the story.

"Am I correct to assume that you are here for the Vytal Festival, Sun?" Pyrrha inferred based on the previous information, mainly that the blond was a student of Haven.

"You bet! Me and my team are gonna take this, no doubt about it!" Suddenly, there was a sense of fierce competition in the room, causing everyone to cluster into their own team groups.

"Yeah right! Team RWBY is going to obliterate the competition! Ruby jumped onto a chair, bursting into an exaggerated mean laughter while both Blake and Yang stood beside her in a mocking victory pose.

"Hmmm, I dunno about that." Minato had a sly smile, amused by the little display of power, laying on the floor while drinking a glass of orange juice.

"W-why do you say that?!"

The bluenette's face shifted to a silly evil grin. "Hue hue hue! You really believe you can beat your big bro in a match—ack!"

"Drink your damn orange juice." Yang grabbed the glass and forcefully shoved the orange liquid down his throat, causing a slight choking noise, followed by his body going limp.

"Nooooo, Yang! You killed him! How are we going to dispose of the body?!" Ruby cried large comical tears, grabbing all the snacks in the room to bury the damning evidence that was the bluenette's corpse.

"Hey, Yang, wasn't that a _little_ too rough?" Jaune felt slightly worried and everyone agreed, each giving odd looks to the siblings.

Yet, instead of addressing the crowd, Yang held up three fingers, "Wait for it... 3…2..1!" As if by some ungodly force of the netherworld, when the blonde reached the last number, Minato instantly jolted up from his shallow grave of soft drinks and potato chips and went for a right hook that was swiftly blocked by the blonde, trapping the two in a stalemate while they leered into each other.

"Nice try, but it'll take much more than choking to get rid of me." Minato gave a savage smile that was matched with Yang's flaming red eyes as the two started trading blows inside the enclosed room that eventually lead them both to crash into the walls of the hallway outside.

"Yang… Minato?" For whatever reason, Weiss felt a playful yet deathy aura from the downed pair on the floor, each still wrestling for dominance.

"Oh, Weiss, Yu! There you are!" The golden brawler raised an arm and tried to sock her friend right in the face, but missed by an inch as the bluenette tried to do the same.

"Are you two alright?" Yu watched, puzzled and unsure of what to make of the scene.

"Eh, you two go on ahead, we'll decide on a winner eventually." Minato said rather casually, holding back another of Yang's deadly assaults.

"Ok, if you say so…" Weiss dragged Yu inside before quickly closing the door. "We should ignore them."

"Agreed."

"You were really brave to go into a gang-ridden territory like that, Weiss." Ruby chirped, obviously proud of her teammate.

"Oh, uh, really, Ruby? Yeah!" The snowy heiress was caught completely off guard by the comment.

"Using the CCTV like that was quite commendable." For the first time, Blake expressed a liking in the icy huntress-in-training.

"You guys should have totally seen how many thugs there were, it was crazy! One was fighting with this really weird gun and the other was like really agile and stuff." Sun did his best to paint as clear a picture of the battle as possible, including almost all of its participants. However, nowhere in his story were bizarre types of Dust or someone forming a magical azure gun.

"Really? What did these gang members look like?" The descriptions felt odd to Blake, as it reminded her of certain people from her past.

"Ummm, they were, uhh—"

"Mostly people in plain street clothing and sporting visible tattoos." Just as Sun was having trouble conjuring up a faux group of people, Akira stepped in to take control of the conversation.

"Sounds like an unwelcome bunch." Nora cracked her knuckles, "Hehe, I bet you guys broke their legs, didn't ya?"

"Well, I wouldn't say we were _that_ uncivilized." Weiss mused out loud while feeling a certain dark-haired girl watch in silent suspicion.

"We broke their legs, we broke them _hard_." Akira said in a skilled deadpan, although there was a glimpse of mirth expressed in his eyes.

"I'm not sure who I should believe at this point." Ren sighed.

"Either way, we're glad to have you back, Akira." Yu reach out a hand.

"You're awfully happy today." A chuckle came from the other as he shook his hand.

"I'm sorry for what I said before."

"Me too."

"Hyaaaa! Take this!" Suddenly, and without much warning, a large blast of yellow fire split the two apart as Yang burst through the wall with an evil looking Minato catching her from behind.

"Ow!" Yu's body flew toward the hard concrete, slamming into it at full force, only to be caught by a black Gravity glyph. "Thanks…"

"Once again, you owe me." Weiss flicked her hair, only to have Akira drop on her form after losing his grip on the dorm ceiling.

"Get off!"

"Hahahahaha!" Just as the snowy heiress tried to shove the dead weight off of her, she could hear a red hooded, pint-sized girl bellow in unrelenting laughter at the ridiculous scene. Ruby's giggles eventually started infecting the other inhabitants in the room until half of the dorm was in a loud uproar, while the others started to brawl with each other. It was not until midnight did everyone drop and crash to the floor in deep slumber. Many fell asleep where they were, but some mustered the last of their energy to trudge back to their rooms.

* * *

Droplets of water ran down the drain in a steady river, subtly breaking into several smaller paths as it started to flow along to its eventual destination. Puffs of white steam covered the area in a cloudy ethereal reality as the figure turned off the shower faucet. Akira got dressed, draping a towel over his shoulder and stepped into the room, relaxing his stiff muscles. He closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath. It had been a day.

"You done?" Minato sat next to a work desk along with Yu.

Akira dried his hair, cracking open a bottle of soda. "Yeah"

"Good, because we have a lot to talk about." The bluenette's face grew dark, pale, and deathly serious, holding a bright scroll in his hands.


	6. Fangs and Realization

**Author's Notes:**

**Hey guys, sorry this chapter took so long but if I didn't stop now then it would have easily slided into the 9-10k range and I didn't want the opening chapters to drag on. Also, this fic is probably not going to have consistent updates like I planned. College and art have collectively kept me busy like never before but I won't stop writing. On another note, I couldn't help but sketch out vol 7 concepts for the three protags after viewing the first episode. I can imagine the fun the cast with have with them alright as they travel to Akira's hometown of Mantle.**

**Combine117: We've planned everything out**

**Mr. Haziq: Weiss is going to go through massive development, this is only the start**

**Guest: It'll be a roller coaster alright...**

**madmadMADshipper: Minato and Yang have been play fighting since childhood, it's been almost an inside joke for them for a while now pft. As for Weiss and her ships? That'll be answered in this chapter along with a few other surprises.**

* * *

Colorful storefronts of various shapes and sizes lined the busy city streets, drawing in hundreds of leisurely patrons from around Remnant. While some welcomed in their customers with humble decor, others loomed over even the wealthiest of businesses with their vast shelves of glittering diamonds, attracting some of the most affluent in the kingdom. All the while, humongous billboards constructed out of holographic lights flashed and changed in the hot light of the morning sun, directing and fueling the hunger of frenzied shoppers for wares trending in the latest season.

"How about this one?" Weiss picked out a fluffy winter dress from the labyrinth-like layout of a neatly organized store.

"I think it looks great," Yu smiled, carrying several oversized shopping bags that were filled to the brim with all sorts of designer brand accessories and clothes. The sheer weight and volume of the luggage would have made even the strongest of huntsmen cower in fear.

"And this?" The snowy heiress directed her attention to another, seemingly entranced by the intricate design of its crystal-like patterns.

"I like that one too," Yu commented again, oblivious to the subtle irritation in the other's face.

"Ok, that one over there."

"It's certainly is unique. Well made, too." Weiss felt her face scrunch up in annoyance. She then twisted around to grab the first thing she saw from the unsorted pile, flashing the unsuspecting object in front of the boy.

"This one!"

"Huh…?"

"Hah! Nothing for you to compliment now, can you?" Her irate frown transformed into an excited grin as she swung whatever she had picked up in her classmate's face, watching his expression shift from a plastic smile to an embarrassed flush. "Hey! What's wrong?" Weiss continued her onslaught, only to be met with awkward silence.

"Umm… Weiss?" Blake interrupted the heiress's victory cry, her pale face now a soft shade of pink.

"Yes?" The heiress was now alarmed by the sudden attention she had attracted from the jungle of customers in the shop. All gazes were glued to her spot, as if a large target had been painted right across her back.

"You do know what you're showing him, right?" The darked-haired girl held in a chuckle.

"Of course—!" And then she realized. "...EEEKKK!" Screeching and desperately trying to hide the object, she tossed the pale bra in a random direction before immediately blushing a dark tomato-red. However, just as she was about to make herself proper, she saw the soft piece of fabric land directly on her male friend's face, prompting another yelp of pure horror.

"Weiss! Are you o—?!" Yang burst out from a nearby crowd, eyes full of worry and adrenaline that soon melted into amusement and mirth as she arrived to watch the ashamed heiress attempt to scramble away from the scene and fall flat on her butt in embarrassment.

"Minato! What's going on? Is Weiss alright?" Ruby tried to weasel her way through a mad tangle of legs and the bewildered crowd, finding her small size and short stature a painful hindrance that blocked her from the scene. She eventually managed to squeeze into a small pocket, bumping into the bluenette who was watching the entire display with a cartoon-like glee.

"Oh it's nothing, really." Minato raised a hand, putting it up to his eye, and curled his fingers into a circular shape, imitating someone observing through a one-eyed binocular, "It's quite the view, though."

"H-hey! S-stop that!" Weiss shouted. The mocking and sly faces of Yang and Minato grew exponentially, only to be rivaled by her own increasing loathing and agony. She wanted to lock the two in a never-ending frozen hell of ice if it kept them from ever speaking of this experience ever again.

"You sure you two don't have something going on?" Yang snickered, mercilessly adding fuel to an already fiery situation. Weiss swore she would run her teammate through the next time they dueled.

"What do you mean? I was only helping her out." Yu gave a disapproving look to the two perverted bystanders. It was similar to the face an annoyed mother would give to her child. A subtle but dark aura started to enwrap his form.

"Pffft hahaha!" Suddenly, both of the cheeky siblings burst into an uproar of chuckles and laughter as they tried desperately not to fall to the floor themselves. Each had one hand clutching their stomach while their other arm wrapped around the other's shoulder to support each other.

Just when Weiss thought her world had finally shattered and she collapsed out of pure embarrassment, she felt a light breeze. Several pairs of panties and other undergarments flew into her harassers' faces, briefly halting their onslaught of cruel mockery and freezing them in a state of bewildered shock. The heiress felt someone offer a hand before she recognized who her unsuspecting hero was.

"You!" Yang growled as her once lilac eyes gained a brilliant shade of crimson. Multi-colored underwear decorated her golden blonde hair and covered the rest of her clothes. She sprung forward to land a face-shattering punch, only to almost trip and fall as she swiped and clawed at empty air.

"Missed. Try again." Akira said boredly, tossing another pair of panties at the blonde's face and causing her to light up. She raised her arm and boosted herself off the ground as she tried for another hit by charging the male at blinding speeds. First a missed left hook, then a right, and then an uppercut that was supposed to send the dark Faunus spiraling up in the air. Unfortunately for her, no satisfying sounds of body to concrete contact came, as Akira managed to slip away from every attempt with an inhuman agility akin to that of a cat's.

"Why won't you stay still?!" Casually moving with both hands in his pockets, Akira gave a devilish grin as he danced around every attempt at his life. A side step to avoid a jab here, a back flip to dodge a head-on collision there, and lastly, a graceful and coordinated twirl, catching the sunny dragon by the hand and locking her into a forced dance of death that sent the two crashing and tumbling into a nearby stand of designer shoes. A cacophony erupted to life as clouds of dust and debris littered the breeze.

"See? It wasn't that bad, now was it?" Akira popped his head out of the rubble, still feeling someone's hand in the deep debris. For whatever reason, the longer the other body remained in the pile, the less confident he was that it was Yang's. Digging through the trash, he eventually spotted a light ginger curl sticking out from all of the monochrome gray. A sudden noise made him nearly jump.

"Salutations!" A voice greeted from beneath.

"Hello? Is there someone under there?" Scattering every piece of what remained of the destroyed shoe shelves, Akira frantically started to dig out whoever was stuck under, first removing every large piece of that junk remained on top before moving on to smaller and smaller pieces. However, just as the male Faunus was going to help the affected bystander, a small, ginger-haired girl rose from the ashes at supernatural speeds, her face coming uncomfortably close to the other's while both of her hands clasped onto his wrists in an inescapable death grip.

"Yo, Akira, why're you talking to a pile of ju— What are you doing?!" Yang reeled back at the scene, petrified and taken aback by what appeared to be a forced kiss between the Faunus and the ginger.

"No! No! This isn't what it looks like!" Screaming and desperately trying to break free of his situation, the blonde watched the panicked male struggle as she raised her fists for a beating while his ginger companion gazed at him wordlessly, entirely distant from his cries for forgiveness—

"Cannonball!" As if by the grace of Philemon himself, all three figures turned to the source of the war cry and recoiled at the sight of what looked like a mammoth amalgamation of clothing locked in by layers of thin ice being secured on a gravity glyph and what appeared to be a long obsidian ribbon strapped to either side of the twin pillars that held the weight of the incredible abomination.

"You wouldn't…" Eyes growing wider in shock, Akira's jaw dropped with the rest when he spotted the grinning faces of both Weiss and Yu on the side. While the snowy heiress held a much more cheeky smile, her male counterpart even chilled Akira to the bone with what appeared to a dark aura flickering in and out of existence accompanied by a soft, serene, and angelic grin. Were it not for the context of the situation, the Faunus would''ve been sure the heir was smiling for his wedding day instead. Horror, sweat, and panic all laced his face as he argued for his life. "Don't you shit-heads see that there's a bystander about to be caught in this mess—!"

But it was too late.

Without waiting another second more, Akira grabbed both girls and braced for impact, feeling a sudden change in the air and a deep rumbling sensation that rocked and shook the area as a titan-sized ice ball came spiraling and accelerating through air. Eventually feeling a dark shadow eclipse his vision, he shielded the other two when the ice collided with him at full force, slamming and tearing into his back. He felt the crushing weight of several ice cream trucks barreling down from the air. The wind started to howl in his ears as chilly spears of jagged ice stabbed into his . And yet, just when he thought things would get worse, he felt the weight of the world lift from his shoulders, finding a golden light and blinding fire start to burn through their death cacoon.

"Hurry up and help me!" Yang shouted, her fiery hair fluttering in the wind as she punched another dent through the blizzard. But no matter how she tried, the opening would always be swallowed up by the great abyss of fabric. Akira looked up and smirked, giving the other a nod. Despite being constantly assaulted by layers upon layers of deadly clothing, the two raised their fists, conjuring up a large fireball from sandy red dust, and blasted the entire storm through, bisecting it in two. All three previously trapped figures stepped into the light, meeting with the stunned and silenced faces of both their attackers

For a moment, there was a palpable silence. No words, movements, or even a small intake of air could be heard.

"Wow! That was stupendous!"

Akira jumped. The ginger-haired bystander had once again gotten uncomfortably close.

"What are you going on about?" Trying to distance himself, the male Faunus eventually took a few steps back. Artificial green orbs met dark silver and he felt quite unnerved.

"The way you and that girl protected me from that ball of ice!" As if completely unaware of the current atmosphere, the petite ginger started to dash around the store, handing out all sorts of strange, but still thoughtful compliments, ranging from the skillful assimilation of the ice chunks, to the raw strength and power needed by both Yang and Akira to break through the storm.

"Who is that…?" Weiss finally raised the question.

"The one you shit-heads almost scrapped in your frozen clusterfuck attack." Akira brushed the remaining dust and debris off his clothing along with Yang.

"Hey!"

"Well I'd say we rather liked our frozen clusterfuck." Yu crossed his arms adamantly, glaring down at both Yang and the Faunus.

"Minato, what's a clusterfuck?" Ruby turned to her older sibling, almost mockingly.

"Excuse me, Miss, but why are you talking to a large block of ice?" The ginger girl lightly tapped the amused scythe-wielder on the shoulder.

"Oh, this? He's my brother. Weiss said he needed to pay for the crimes against her family name or something…." Ruby said with a fake sigh, along with a shiver at the end. She was the only sibling of the three to make it out unharmed.

"Then, is that the reason why he looks so peaceful?"

"Peaceful…?" Seeing the serene face of the bluenette encased in layers of blue ice, Ruby looked to find something unexpected. As the stranger had pointed out, Minato showed an almost surreal level of tranquility in the crystal coffin. His eyelids drooped and folded downwards as if he had been in a deep slumber for ages, and his lips curled in with such subtlety that it was nearly impossible to see the shadows that formed on either side of his mouth, hinting at the faintest of smiles.

"He looks tired, doesn't he?" The more the younger sibling stared at her older brother, the more she realized how different he was from his usual self, and the more concerned she became. As if on cue, through the azure case came a dark horizontal streak, rolling down from the top of his cheek all the way to the chin. A streak of water flowed unhindered by the frozen ice and dropped all the way to the bottom.

Ruby silently took off her hood and wrapped fabric around the large case.

* * *

"That was a nostalgic sleep" Minato yawned, stepping out from chunks of broken ice, letting them scatter all over the dorm floor. "How's the situation right now?"

"If you're asking about them, they'll be clearing out all of the White Fang-infested territories by the 8th" Akira sat while scrolling through multiple monitors, his attention completely immersed in a lit holo screen, its glow faint in the gloomy darkness."You looked like shit when we thawed you out, you know that?"

"And Yu?"

"The orders will be in soon, but should I get a few extras just in case?" The heir turned to face his leader, bags visible under his eyes. Laptops, Scrolls, and holo-devices were all littered about the room, the small Dust-powered devices being the only sources of light that imitated the presence of dim candle flames in the blackness.

"Sure. The more we can get, the better." Minato wrote away in a journal. Complex sentences and drawings made of pen ink littered the page in an ancient language not known to the current world. Lists of fantastical abilities and creatures dark as ink covered the book in a forever-expanding catalogue, all labeled in intricate detail.

Thick clouds obscured the stars, faint shadows haunted and flickered in and out of existence on the walls, mocking their owners, and fatigue and exhaustion laced their faces. Despite this, they all worked well into the long and arduous night.

* * *

The school stood still.

"Minato? Akira? Yu?" Ruby knocked at the door to their dorm, but there was no reply.

"Do you think they're alright?" Blake asked worriedly, hearing no movement from the other side.

"Usually, they would be the first ones out." Weiss tried knocking again.

"What if they're still sleeping in?" Yang lowered herself, peeking through the doorhole.

"Don't invade our privacy, please." A half-dressed and half-dazed Yu greeted the four at the door. The top of his uniform and his tie slung lazily on the side of his shoulder and his dress shirt was still half-way unbuckled, revealing a glimpse of his abs.

"Oh, uh! Sorry about that." Yang smiled awkwardly and took a few steps back.

"Eek! Get dressed!" A stray handkerchief flew into the exhausted male's face, accompanied by a flushed Weiss swifty turning way.

"We'll be out in a minute!" Another voice rang out from the room, followed by a bluenette fixing his hair. Although he seemed energetic, the four couldn't help but feel his movements were a bit more sluggish than usual. From the way he slowly adjusted his school bag to the small, but uncoordinated motions of his hands as he adjusted his coat.

"Are you… ok from yesterday?" Ruby didn't know how to express her mind fully in words. The way he had looked in that crystal coffin still burned into her mind.

"Yeah. Being frozen wasn't as bad of an experience as I thought it would be." It gave him a faint chance to dream of the past.

"Don't tell me you actually enjoyed that!" Taken aback by his reply and outraged at what was supposed to be an unpleasant experience, Weiss was unsure whether to feel scared or impressed with the bluenette's answer.

"I think he's just trying to rile you up, Weiss." Blake placed a hand on the heiress's shoulder.

"What? But he taught me the technique!" She then accusingly faced Minato, "You were just trying to make me freeze you, weren't you?"

"Nuh-uh-uh! I only told you how to do it, and you used it on me by your own free will." She could see a smirk spreading across his pale face. Now that she was paying closer attention, it was strangely discolored around the eyes.

"Guys, guys! I'm sure we can fight about this all day, but look at the time!" Yang whispered in hushed breaths to the group, catching a glimpse of Glynda patrolling the empty halls.

"Shit. She's coming this way!" Minato peered over his sister's shoulder. "Everybody inside, now!" Without another moment to ponder, the bluenette swifty dragged everyone inside the messy dorm. Clothes, books, and other unknown junk littered the once clean floors.

"Ack! What is all this?" Stepping onto a pile of scrap metal with her right foot and landing on a hill of notebook paper on her left, Weiss tiptoed every step of the way inside the obscene ocean of trash that collected inside the dorm. However, there was little time for explanations as both teams heard a sound knocking at the door.

"Everyone! Out the window, now!" Akira commanded in a low voice, quickly shoving open the glass and placing his foot on the ledge before jumping off with both Blake and Yang following right behind him.

"Need some help?" Yu said, still half-dressed in his unkempt uniform.

Weiss looked around the mess hesitantly. An unsettling and surreal vibe drowned out her senses. From the eerily cluttered amalgamation on the floor to the chaotic space in the air, she couldn't help but feel that this was somehow an organized sort of chaos, as if the way whoever had placed these items there were not purely coincidental.

"Come on, Weiss! We have to go!" Hearing a familiar voice and someone grabbing her hand, she could make out a cherry red hood and a worried face as she and Ruby were the last two to dive out of the sixth floor window and into the open.

And from that hill of scattered notes and paper, a single piece became separated from the rest.

* * *

"Minato? You there?" Ruby knocked once more.

"In a minute! We're just getting ready!" Came another generic reply from the door.

* * *

"Class is starting in five minutes!" Weiss watched in discomfort as three pale figures rushed wordlessly out the dorm.

* * *

"Ugh! That's the fifth time they've done this!" Yang slammed her fist onto a table, frustration lining her irate face. For whatever reason, she had a gnawing feeling that worried her, but didn't know what.

"Trust me, you're not the only one." Weiss crossed her arms in contemplation, the image of that mess burned into her mind's eye. Ever since that day, the three had always woken up late and slushed clumsily through the school day, often requesting to retire early to their dorms. Despite a simple answer being the lack of sleep due to piles and piles of school work, everyone silently agreed that there was more to the answer.

"Yang, has your brother… always been like this?" Blake said with a bit of worry and discomfort, something flashed in her amber eyes.

"You mean Minato?" The blonde sighed, "That's the thing, he's never been this… aloof before…" Eyes drooping and wearing a childish frown, Yang uncomfortably faced her team, unsure of what to really do or say next. Minato had always been her pillar after Summer left, so to see him change like this...

"Do you guys think that day had anything to do with it? They've been acting differently since Akira came back." Blake clenched her hand, the sensation of dread overwhelming her as she prayed that her thoughts on the matter were false.

"You mean the people that Akira fought?" Ruby stood up from her seat, a stray sheet of notebook paper in her hand.

"Now that I think about it, yeah." Yang paced around the room, rage slowly building up in her system as she curled her hands into fists, Paranoid thoughts arose from the darkness of her mind. "What if the situation is more dire than we thought? What if those thugs were after them somehow?"

"No, I don't think that's likely." Weiss was sure of what she saw. "If anything, Akira alone could have easily taken the rest of them out.

"Then can you tell us everything you saw, Weiss? Maybe we can gain some answers from the way they fought." Blake pressured, speaking softly with suspicious eyes.

"Well… they were all equipped with decent firearms—"

"Guys, guys, I feel like we're all looking in the wrong place." For the first time, Ruby's face had an unfamiliar dark aura. Her voice was unfamiliarly hushed, and her eyes seemed to lose its once childish luster.

"What do you mean sis?" Noticing a cream-colored sheet in her sibling's hand, Yang observed the familiar handwriting of a certain bluenette, although she couldn't discern what was scribbled into the single notebook scrap.

"Is that a sketch of a Grimm?" Marked and shaded in dark ink, Blake was unsure of the otherworldly creature living on the single piece of notebook paper. In some ways, its humanoid form reminded her of the Apathy that they had discussed in class, but other than the general posture and shape of the creature, it nowhere near resembled any form of Grimm she knew. Its stomach was split open and wide, lined with rows of sharp jagged teeth while flesh like tentacles protruded out on either side of its featureless visage. Claws and nails as deadly and unkempt as a wild Ursa's were attached to the abonimation's hands and feet.

"Gross. Did he draw that?" Recalling back to the pile of papers she had stumbled across in the dorm room, it was now clear who had made the mess. Minato's writing adorned the page, but none in the room could read what was scribbled on the page. "These characters look like some form of old language from Mistral."

"Lemme see." Yang picked up the paper, puzzled "How could he know something like this? Weiss, do you know what this language is called?"

"As much as I'm well academically versed in the multiple different cultures of Mistral, this one looks like something that died out a long time ago. It may have some characters Ren might recognize… but I'm not sure about these." Weiss pointed to some lines with kanji and then to some unreadable hiragana. Ever since the great war, even the most rural parts of Mistral had adapted to the main language of the four kingdoms. Although certain cultures still flourished in these regions, their own languages took a back seat as the industrial revolution of Altas and the outside world drove them to obscurity.

"A dead language, huh…" Ruby pondered, a sinking feeling beginning to weigh heavily on her chest. The tired faces of the three boys flashed through her mind. Suddenly, her talk with Minato that night began to resurface, causing her to take a firm stance. "Everyone, I need you guys to trust me…." She said in a low voice, "We can't approach them about this."

"Why not? Wouldn't it be better to get some answers straight from the source?" Yang protested, obviously uncomfortable with what her brother and the others were hiding.

"This may sound a bit harsh, Ruby, but why do you think this sketch has something to do with their odd behaviors? This drawing could easily be for a game." Blake was next to question their leader.

"I disagree. There's no way this level of detail and the use of a dead language could simply be for a future franchise. Think about it guys, wouldn't it be easier for him to just write normally if that were the case? Why would he go through the trouble of choosing something that most people can't understand?" Weiss argued back, finding the sketch and writing extremely unnerving, once again giving off that otherworldly vibe.

"Weiss's right, there has to be more to this. Minato has never been this much of a messy person." Ruby was now sure this had to do with the other world. His world.

"Then what do you propose we do, sis?" Clenching her teeth and begrudgingly admitting defeat, Yang and the rest of the concerned team waited for an order from their leader.

"Simple. We're going to see what they're really up to."

* * *

Blake settled herself in the darkness, blending into a desolate alleyway full of scraps and piled up rubbish. Among the steel cans and rotted waste, she carefully waited for a sound. Suddenly, a pair of footsteps paced out of a nearby specialty store. Spotting a set of dark, feline ears and a tuft of black hair, as well as a plastic bag full of what looked like junk metal and broken items, the huntress-in-training then saw him visit a nearby Dust shop. Continuing to watch what seemed similar to a normal errand run for a Beacon student, Blake wasn't sure what to think of the dark-haired boy, until her eyes widened at the strange sight after several runs of purchases. As if by some hidden magic, all the previous baggage that was in the boy's possession had disappeared as he exited a public restroom. Multiple bags packed full of material all disappeared from the male Faunus's hands, leaving an awestruck and bewildered Blake.

* * *

"And that's what I saw. I don't think his Semblance had anything to do with it," Blake concluded, sitting among a small circle of her teammates.

"Let's add that to the list of strange happenings for the three." Weiss jotted down a detailed list of gathered information on a shared document. At this point, the entire group wouldn't be surprised if they learned the three were aliens.

"It's not as weird as how Weiss kept looking at her boyfriend—"

"Hey!"

"You were practically checking him out." Yang teased, smiling a wide Cheshire cat-like grin.

"No—! I mean, I was only trying to get more information!" Flushing a dark red, Weiss childishly hid her face from the rest.

"Weiss, we all know you like him, it's obvious."

"B-Blake! How did you—!"

"How about we put that aside for now?" Ruby calmly spoke.

"So, did you get anything Sis?" Yang and others silenced themselves, feeling the atmosphere grow more tense. All eyes locked onto the red-colored girl, waiting for an answer.

"Guys, don't you think they're planning for something big?" Reviewing Akira's shopping list again, the weapon-obsessed girl was sure that whatever the dark Faunus was preparing for needed a large amount of resources. "Yang, remember how some of the students at Signal used to scavenge the second-hand stores for recycled scraps to build their weapons?"

"Yeah, why?" Further retracing Akira's steps proved that he had likely shopped for more than one person. "Wait, are you saying they've been working on a new weapon this whole time? Old scraps like those can't be used on anything bigger than a small gun dagger."

"Have you seen how that guy works in class? He once made a functional pistol out of a few plastic bottles and rubber bands." Ruby argued, recalling back to how the closed-off male had shot the prototype at Cardin for target practice during a match.

"Then what about the other two? Yu didn't exactly look like he was up anything." From what Yang saw behind a few bookshelves in the library, it seemed as if the Atlesian swordsman was mindlessly typing away on a school assignment.

"But Minato did."

"What do you mean by that…?" If Blake had to guess, she was sure the bluenette was the most inactive out of the three. While both Yu and Akira had been up and moving, their leader opted for a more stay-at-home approach. Excited eyes and a cheeky grin started to creep its way onto the red huntress-in-training's face.

"He may not have been willing to talk, but look at this!" Soon, countless screencaps of a certain bluenette's Scroll graced the screen as all eyes in the room widened in jubilation. "I just remembered our entire family shares the same data plan and asked dad for the password to his account!"

"You read through all of his messages?" Weiss was unsure of whether to be scared or impressed.

"You didn't read mine, did you?"

"No, Yang, I'm only doing this to help Minato, remember?" Ruby smiled sheepishly, earning a glare of daggers from her sister.

"Hmmm… Even with his texts, he may have anticipated someone snooping on them." Blake skimmed through, finding the same mystery language from before, photos of written lined paper posted each time one had sent a reply back. Then, whether by mere coincidence, or by some other supernatural force, the dark faunus stopped at a certain set of peculiar kanji.

"真夜中十匕日"

"Midnight the 17th" Weiss mused out loud, using what knowledge she had retained from the many lessons on Mistralian culture.

"What would they do on the 17th?" Yang crossed her arms in contemplation, growing more and more in frustrated.

"I doubt it'll be anything good…." Weiss summarized all of the evidence in her head, an unnerving feel beginning to crawl up her spine. The ominous words circled through the group's minds, rendering them still and anxious on the dorm floor. But then, they heard the hard metallic click of a rifle and a familiar mechanical transformation of a red crescent scythe.

"Well, Team RWBY, there's no way we're going to find out sitting around…."

* * *

Sparse clouds scattered across shattered remains of the crescent moon, silently rolling across the inky-black darkness and enshrouding the city in an eternal night. Lights dim, streets empty, and all residents disappearing into the realm of dreams, it left the once lively metropolis an empty, barren version of its former self. Nothing moved, nothing shook, and as if enchanted to stay frozen in time forever by a powerful enchantress, the city stood impossibly still. That is, until the smallest of whispers came peeping out from the frozen blackness.

"This way." a voice echoed from somewhere within the void. A single hand waved in the air, directing a few others to tail from behind. Four shadowed silhouettes quickly made their way behind an emptied, gutted building.

"Are you sure you saw them head this way?" Someone whispered in the gentle murk.

"Positive…" Cat-like ears twitched, reacting to a subtle breeze in the air.

Out of the corner of their eyes, a familiar shape moved from afar, slightly lit by a sliver of moonlight.

"Is that a row of warehouses…?" From the sea of solid black, faint yellow rectangles floated in the desolate space, in neat, tight, and organized rows below. Enclosed on all sides by a thick concrete fence, it was hidden away from the vast, cemented jungle of the city.

"There's people down there, too." Another said from their vantage point, zooming in closer with the scope of her rifle. Countless figures strolled about the area. The closer she focused, the more apparent it became who the three were after. She felt her teammate shake.

"No… no..."

"Blake, what's wrong?" Yang turned to see her dorm mate, pale and sweating in the cold autumn night.

"This can't be happening…."

"Blake, we need you to calm down. Take a deep breath," Ruby begged, seeing paranoid amber orbs rattle and dart from place to place, almost bulging out of their sockets. Fear, anxiety, and dread all rose up from the depths of her heart.

"Ruby!" The red sniper was taken aback by the sudden tight grip on her shoulders that caused her to yelp. "We have to go after them. Your brother and his friends are going to get themselves killed!"

"W-what do you mean, Blake?!" If fear was a contagious disease, then it would've already spread to all four girls in the group and was quickly killing their courageous spirits.

"They don't understand who they're messing with. The White Fang are no ordinary group of criminals!" Upon finally connecting the missing pieces, it made too much sense: that day, Akira didn't have a run with just any ordinary criminals. Exactly as the feline Faunus had suspected.

"Blake, I'm sure they know how to stay safe." Weiss tried to assure her friend, but her words only seemed to add fuel to the grueling fire.

"Safe? Weiss, you know what they do to humans who they catch. If they find one of the most prominent heirs of Altas, what do you think they'll do?!" The snowy huntress-in-training reeled back in disgust, mere words causing her blood to run as cold as ice and her imagination to go into overdrive.

"Ruby, Yang… please." Sunken amber met worried lilac and concerned silver. Blake begged the group to help the three and turn back, as it would be their only chance. A strong, choking silence followed. No one spoke, and no one moved. All simply bathed in a sinking dread for what might occur. Fearful and anguished faces were soon flashed and exchanged between them.

"Change of plans, team. We have to stop them before they do anything stupid." Ruby bit her lip, hands shakily clutching the trigger of her rifle, reminding her of the person from that night. What would happen if they discovered… his other abilities?

All four nodded and agreed, readying their weapons.

* * *

"Red, Yellow, is everyone in place?" Minato placed himself beside a large wall of a warehouse, putting a hand to an ear, watching the movement of several partroling White Fang members.

"In position, enemies moving—!" a loud clash of metal could be heard from the other end.

"Red! Come in! Come in!" Sweat began to roll down his face as he frantically shouted into the mic. No reply came as the sound of blades drowned out any form of communication. Frantic, he switched to the other line, "Yellow, this is Blue, something's happened to Red—!"

He dodged a shot that was aimed at his legs, quickly pulling out his sword to deflect a few more bullets that came rushing his way. However, just as he was about to make his next move, a crescent scythe sprung from the shadows and managed to catch him by surprise when he felt someone else grip him by the neck and torso.

"We're sorry Minato, but Yang and I can't let you go any further." Ruby walked to the boy with a disapproving look.

"Ruby, Yang, what are you doing here?!" A snippet of anger could be heard from the bluenette's voice.

"We could ask you the same thing! What made you think going after the White Fang was a good idea?" He could hear the blonde scold him and increase the strength of her death grip.

"Let. Go. Now." Unlike his usual voice, it dropped to a low and cold whisper.

"Or what?" Yang imitated his threat.

"Minato, please. At least tell us what's going on." He found his younger sibling gazing at him with the most worried expression, her eyes almost lined with tears. He softened and opened his mouth, but instead of words, there was a distant shout from the other side of the buildings.

"Human intruders! Let's kill them all!" A chilling howl sounded. Gunshots, Dust, and other explosives started to shake the earth as sparks of varying deadly hues rose up in the sky, lighting up in ominous bursts of fireworks.

"Blue! We've been spotted and completely surrounded!" He heard his earpiece crackle to life once again, followed by another voice.

"You take the ones on the right, I'll deal with these!"

"Weiss, Yu!" Ruby gasped. Then another.

"If you hadn't stopped me, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Stopped you!? Do you even know who you're dealing with?!"

"This is bad…." Minato mumbled, seeming disturbingly calm.

"How can you be so—" But Yang was cut off.

"Yellow, I need you and Weiss to create the biggest distraction can and regroup with the rest of us at the south entrance." He then shifted to the second channel. "Red, same thing to you guys, use your Semblances to distract the rest and run!"

* * *

Crackles of yellow lighting and blinding light could be heard as Yu dashed through a group of White Fang, slicing them clean through with his blade. He dug the shining katana into the ground, shooting forth a rushing river of crystal ice that crashed into another stream of speeding icicles, causing a resounding crunch as he met up with his battle partner. Streaks of red, blue, and yellow sparks flew from every corner of the battlefield as he felt his aura taking a massive beating. Bullets scrapped, flames burned, and ice stabbed into his invincible shield. Countless White Fang grunts shot flaming barrels of Dust that he swiftly deflected with his blade as quickly he could, feeling the increasing amount of strain on his arms.

"It's a Schnee and a Narukami! Let's make them pay!" Voices seething with venom and hatred growled from every corner of the warehouse. Anger, vengeance and so on littered the faces of the desperate and forgotten.

"Fuck them up! Fuck them up just like they did to our families!" Another shout could be heard from the war zone.

"Let's hang them both by a noose and send their bodies to their mommies and daddies!"

Weiss clutched her teeth, her hands shaking with rage. Her vision began to cloud with each comment made toward her name, growing darker and darker. So dark, she started to lose sight of everything in front of her until…

"Weiss, Weiss are you alright?" She felt someone clasp her hand, a strange feeling starting to spread from where she was being held. She glanced beside her to see a tranquil smile from a certain heir. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and in that moment, her once tense body relaxed.

"Y-yeah?"

"Take it easy, yeah? There are just people in the world you can't convince no matter what." Something sad flashed in his eyes, but the heiress did not know why.

"T-thanks!" She then turned back to the hatred before her, each person closing in just a bit more as the two stood completely still. Raising her rapier and coating it in a spiral of beautiful flames, she readied herself. "Let's get back to work!"

Yu smiled, fusing his katana with a similarly warm fire. The heat from the bright illumination flooded the entire battlefield in a burning sauna, causing countless enemies to retreat back to a safe distance. "Ready?" He could feel the back of his partner, holding a similar torch in the night.

"Always." Determined blue orbs reflected an intense fire. Swinging her rapier in a vertical cut, she splashed the tidal wave of red among the chaos, spreading and eating away at anything in its wake. Before she could finish her flaming attack, she felt someone forcefully grab her by the arm and toss her to the side. "Ack! What the—!?"

"Stay back!" A sharp yell was all she heard in the darkness. Immediately following the warning, a harsh green wind exploded from the ground where she previously stood, shredding the earth below into a thousand concrete chunks while mercilessly ravaging the figure trapped inside the mammoth vortex. Flashes of orange lit up from inside the storm, snapping and popping with a final sickening, Aura-shattering snap as yellow sparks merged with the deadly green.

"YU!" Blood turning ice-cold and eyes widening in horror, Weiss frantically sent several waves of icicles at the vortex, only to be thrown back next to a metallic fence. "Ah!" Screams and shouts of loathing echoed from the darkness, but the small heiress shot up again and readied herself to pierce the tornado once more.

"Hahahaha! Look at that Schnee struggle!" Someone yelled from the corner.

"Throw more at them! Let's shred that Narukami to pieces!" Weiss jumped back and shielded herself from an abrupt blizzard of hellfire igniting furiously in the place of the raging vortex as another scream filled her lungs at the murderous intent in the air.

"Awww, look at the little princess groveling on the ground." Another taunted from the murkiness.

She could feel the last of her aura.

"Did you really think you could save anyone, princess?" Voices echoed from the shadows.

She slowly got with the support of her blade, inhaling deeply.

"Why don't you run with your tail between your legs and call your daddy?!"

"Worthless!"

"Useless!"

"Bitch!"

"I AM NOT GIVING UP!" Rows of colossal blue ice rammed into the side of the flaming vortex of deadly winds, steaming and cutting through its harshest interior as the girl coated herself with a thin sheet of ice and dashed into the fiery inferno. She was going to save him, no matter the cost. Heat, pain, and fear all ate at her as she kept charging into the merciless blaze. Reaching out a hand, she saw her entire body glow a blinding white, signaling that it was the last of her Aura. Slowly, she closed her eyes, hoping not to hear the final snap, with her hands desperately grasping at empty air. Then, something happened, and a sharp yelp could be heard.

Weiss braced herself for the flames, seeing her life flash right before her eyes. A sudden warmth embraced her being, and in any second it would turn into an unbearable heat. However, for whatever reason, that moment never came. Instead of being consumed by flames, she found herself shrouded in a dreamy white Aura and the feel of someone's hand.

"Yu…?" She opened her eyes, sad azure staring back at warm silver. A stream of tears ran down her face.

He nodded with a soft smile, a strange entity floating above him in a protective stance.

"Who is...?" For whatever reason, she felt the urge to reach out to the floating being in the air.

"I'll explain it later." She watched as her body glowed, once again being protected by a layer of shimmering white Aura, and looked back up to him. "Let's get out of this first." With that, the entity next to them raised it's long, lance-like blade and quietly dispersed the surrounding flames until there was nothing left. "And teach these bastards a lesson." He scowled in disgust.

* * *

"What the hell is he doing?!" Minato reeled back at the shout from the other line, seeing a pillar of Garu and Agidyne explode from a distance, only to be dispersed by an apparition now floating in the open.

"Hey! Didn't that come from that spot with Weiss and Yu?" Yang punched through a line of grunts, restocking her ammo and dashing to the other side.

"Minato! What's going on?!" Ruby called worriedly, the now rampaging entity reminding her of a certain bluenette just several weeks ago. Hairs started to rise on her neck as another ball of familiar flames headed towards the floating man in the sky.

"Yeah! Did Weiss finally learn to summon or something?" Yang twisted to dodge an oncomining shot that exploded and ravaged a nearby warehouse to shreds, being a similar but smaller green vortex shooting from the earth that tore the entire structure apart. "Whoa! Was that a new type of Dust?!" Both shaken and in awe, the blonde couldn't help but admire the destruction, yet shake in fear and anticipation.

However, instead of speaking words, the bluenette flashed behind several of these new Dust-gunners and shattered their arms into oblivion with an unfeeling gaze. Mumbling something inaudible into the transceiver, he paced back to his siblings.

"Ruby, Yang, you both need to leave now," he said calmly, but both girls could see a certain coldness in his eyes.

"What?! There's no way we're leaving everyone behind! We can't just run like that—!" Yang protested, an unnerving feeling starting to creep up from the darkness.

"I said to leave."

"But—!"

"No buts, Ruby! Look, I'm making sure Weiss and Blake are going to be right behind you, so go!" Minato stood before his family, blocking them from harm's way.

"Are you stupid?! You're going to get your entire team killed!" Yang raised her fist at her older brother, "You saw how crazy that weird green Dust was! What makes you think—"

"And that's exactly why you all are leaving!" Minato's eyes glowed an electric blue, swiftly deflecting Yang's punch as if it were not even a stray leaf in the wind.

"Ow! What the—?!" The blonde reeled back at the supernatural force, feeling a slight piercing pain despite her Aura.

"Minato, did you really have to do that?!" Ruby rushed to her sister's side, shooting daggers at her older sibling.

"I'm going to use force if I have to…." He stood firmly still, hair ruffling in the chaotic winds, but there was still something soft in his eyes.

Ruby watched once again as the family member she once knew transformed into an alien before her eyes. Remembering back to the Minato from her childhood and comparing him to the stranger before her now, it was as if he had been hiding his true self this entire time. His round silver eyes focused into a constant downward crease, and his mocking smirk had all been replaced with a bitter frown. Raising her rifle, she shot a signal bullet that originated from its barrel and headed straight toward the bluenette.

Minato dashed out of the way, hearing several more shots ring out as he twisted around to see a large, beast-sized Grimm spring out from the blackness, being bombarded with a shower of gun Dust. Ruby madly swung at the monster with her scythe, delivering several large cuts on its front and limbs while her older sister smashed the colossal monster into a nearby wall.

"So, what was that about us leaving again?" Yang blew the smoke from her gauntlets, turning to Minato who stood completely still.

"Didn't you see how strange that Grimm looked? Ignoring his sister's comment, the bluenette felt an instinctive chill in his heart.

"Guys! Watch out!" Yang felt her brother push both of them out of the way of an oncoming high-pressured jet stream of water as the two rolled and tumbled to the side.

"What the hell…?" Yang rubbed her head, getting up to see a bizarre multi-colored Grimm in the light. Now that she had a close look, she could see that the creature looked extremely unusual. Large green horns sprouting from its side while what looked like a long flowing beard graced it's front with a large staff in its jaws. Not allowing another moment to stare at its foe, it belted out a deep, booming roar that shook the buildings around it, summoning several deadly pools of water that headed for Ruby, who speedily dashed out of the way as it tore through several buildings in the process.

"Ruby! Out of our way!" Hearing the cry from above and sensing that something was headed her way, the red huntress-in-training leapt to the rooftop of another building, watching a blue and yellow rain shower from the sky, swiftly battering the beast into dust.

"Blake! Akira!" The small girl spotted two figures floating— or rather, flying —in the sky. A raven-winged Faunus held the dark-haired girl as both aimed their guns at the Grimm below.

"Change of plans, we need to dispatch all of these ravaging beasts at once!" Akira announced.

* * *

**And done! Things are about to finally pick up with personas finally being deployed to the field, lemme tell y'all some shit is about to hit the fan. Btw, does anyone want a BBTAG joke segment where Mitsuru spazzes out at seeing an alive Minato and Weiss meeting past Yu and his team? I find it hilarious.**


	7. Starless Skies

**Authors Note: Chap 7 is done just in time for college finals and the mid run of RWBY Vol 7. I'm excited when we'll get to visit Atlas in the fic, I have some fun things planned, especially for the Ace Ops and the current Winter Maiden hehe. And by popular demand the BBTAG joke chapter is in the works and about half way done (it will release probably after this) and so far it's been a roller coaster of emotions for the cast. Hahha...you'll are gonna like the ending I swear :))))) Just trust me k? **

**Combine117: Oh it well, it well…**

**The Crowned Reaper: Yes, it sure will. And I have a feeling papa Jacques will approve too considering Yu's standing in Atlas. Akira and Blake as of now are platonic. I can't see either of them loving again for a long time considering their pasts. As much as I want to add the PT and everyone else that would take way too long. **

**Mr. Haziq: I need to check TV Tropes, not too familiar with them**

**Matt: No, Salem pulled him back last second. **

**Emoprotagonist: Thank you so much for the long review and thoughts! The fic likes to go in different character arcs so Blake will get her turn. For Akira's summoning, it will be explained but sadly not in this chap. As for Minato's lines, they were more referring to SEES in general and that hopefully that will play a larger role later on. Yes, the protags will talk a bit about their world with the girls. **

**Your Saltyness: it is in the works!**

**Wendel Santana: Have fun reading**

**Smashgunnner: Oh hell yes! Bring it on! **

**Leo0074: ****do note the conversation in chapter 4 that will give you a good explanation about their shift in personalities. More will also be revealed regarding their backstories and why they changed so much from their original counterparts. **

**As always, tell me your thoughts.**

* * *

**Starless Skies **

A guttural screech belted from all corners of the night, and along with it came a chilling wind that rolled and roared across the now battered plains of the battlefield, stopping the hearts of the many downed and injured in the chaos. Ears twitched, hairs raised, and pupils dilated at the sudden shift in the air. Weak hands reached out and clasped at one another in the confusion as several shivering bodies gathered for warmth. A young Faunus adorning a faceless mask sat tightly against an older female, who gingerly comforted a small group of her family.

_Thump! Thump!_

Their bodies jolted at the noise as deep growls sounded from the unknown. Some of the eldest picked up their guns, their vision trained on the opposite wall, with shaking hands barely able to handle the nearly depleted firearms.

_Thump! Thump!_

The younger members of the family retreated further back, brothers and sisters lining up in a small protective wall around them. They were the few survivors in this brutal, hateful assault. From the opposite wall, the concrete of the warehouse started to crack.

_Thump! Thump!_ _GRAAAHHH!_

And now they were trapped.

Blurring gunshots of desperation and panic came to life as the noise of bullets, accompanied by loud explosions, filled the room. Sparks of yellow bounced off of the walls and into the empty dust containers that were messily splayed around the area. A canine-like beast shot out from the other side, flashing a ring of molten gold that glowed as bright as the blazing sun. It clawed at the ground, charging at the group while bearing its teeth. Its eyes filled with an infinite fire of bloodlust. Without another second to waste, the eldest of the White Fang all ran at the beast. Some attempted to cut it with blades that all bounced off of the Grimm-like skin of the beast. Others ran and shot from a distance, only to have their bullets shaken off as if they were mere leaves in the wind.

"GRAAAAAHHHHH!" The beast gave a powerful roar that sent everyone to the ground, the ring on its neck glowing as a raging stream of lava formed in its mouth. Wthin mere seconds, the room had heated up to an unbearable temperature that started to melt even the metals of their remaining weapons.

The youngest shut their eyes.

The older ones hugged tightly onto their family, for they knew, this was the end—

"Izanagi!"

A crackle of yellow sparks shot from the sky, eventually transforming into large plumes of electricity that showered the creature, interrupting its blast as it turned to its assailants, only to meet a white blur descending from above that severed one of its legs clean off with a glistening ice-coated blade. A high, deafening screech of pain rose from its throat as the girl in white prepared for another strike.

The masked Faunus all sat, watching while the angel in white slid and danced gracefully to avoid the beast's every attack, forming a glyph to the side and sliding away from a blast of fire that tore through a nearby pillar. She flipped onto a second glyph positioned in the air that sent her zooming downwards and sank her rapier into another limb of the strange Grimm, causing a spray of blooming ice and fire to fly into their surroundings.

"Hey! Are you guys alright?" Another figure appeared from the night, this time a hooded girl who ran up to the shivering group, a hand reaching out to the broken and injured. She frowned when she failed to get a response, seeing a few of the White Fang back away from what they saw as a human. "No, no. We're really here to help you out…." She saw one of them shake their heads, causing her to pull back.

"P-Please, I promise that we just want all of you to be safe." Blake was next to appear from the doorway as Ruby backed away. The dark-haired beauty felt eyes of hate and confusion lace their face at the sight of another human. In a brief moment of hesitation, Blake reached the side of her bow, earning bewildered glances at her head. Then, as if swallowing a hard pill, she gently removed the obsidian ribbon to reveal two dark feline ears. A small smile graced her face, "If you won't take it from a human, then how about from a Faunus…?"

"Blake…" Ruby whispered.

"There are terrible, dangerous, and unusual Grimm here," The cat Faunus began, noticing the others soften. "The White Fang are not just a bunch of crooks. I know you guys have friends and family among you too. So please, take the route we've cleared out for you and run."

Ruby watched the huddled family slowly dust off their gear and hurry to the direction Blake had pointed to. She then turned to her friend.

"Blake… are you really a...?"

"A Faunus? Yes. But please keep this between the two of us—"

"Hello? Blake, Ruby? A little support here?" Weiss called out from the back, sending a shiver down the dual-wielder's spine at the sight of the white heiress staring at her eyes. Behind her, a large beast lay dead, fading into black dust. Two more pounced onto the scene, tearing at the remaining bits of the worn and battered concrete building.

"W-Wiess! I'm—! I can explain—!" Blake jolted back, her body freezing in place like a frightened cat.

"Do I look like I care if you're a Faunus or not? I almost had my head spliced open by one these things!" The heiress swung her blade to the side, slapping away an oncoming attempt to attack her right leg before dodging countless small fire blasts that threatened to burn her to a crisp by skidding in a zig-zag motion on the floor.

"She's right, Blake. We really should help her out." Ruby turned to her friend, her crimson scythe outstretched and ready to fire on command.

"Y-yeah! Ready?" The Faunus girl armed herself, her ribbon-blade outstretched.

"Now let's go get rid of these Grimm!"

* * *

"Why the hell am I stuck with the humanitarian side of things?!" Minato jerked back at the loud voice from the other end, almost losing his footing among a row of pot-holed rooftops, a glowing blade in hand as he watched a golden explosion of dust send several Grimm barreling down from the sky.

"Yeah, you're the only one who won't scare the shit outta the Faunus when they see us totalling a bunch of shadow Grimm." The bluenette felt a rush of wind beneath his feet and propelled himself into the air, spinning and twisting. Feeling the breeze in his hair and a wild uncontrolled smirk spread across his face in the empty atmosphere, he clashed with an oncoming winged Grimm who met his blade with great brown talons in the sky, sending lights of red, black, yellow and blue as the two exchanged wave after wave of slashes and cuts before Minato was sent rushing down below in an uncontrolled, chaotic wind Garudyne.

"Do you _not_ remember the knife I pointed at thatidiot?" Another burst of anger emotion came through through the bluenette's earpiece as he cringed at the voice in his air cocoon.

"Hahaha!" Minato felt the raw wind slice and tear at his flesh in his ever deadly free fall, and yet he could only focus on his earpiece. The sheer force of the cyclone alone was enough to tear anyone else apart, but he only relaxed his body in the lethal vortex. "You know you're actually really bad at acting, yeah? Even Ruby can pull off better line deliveries than you!" He was now smiling madly, hearing the angry gibberish from the other line increase in volume.

Three seconds before crashing.

"And your shitty Looney Toons persona isn't?" His smile waned, though only for a moment. Minato lifted his free hand into the chaotic winds, cuts gashing at the exposed arm as streaks of red began to litter his pale flesh.

Two seconds before crashing.

"So what? 'Least I ain't denying it like you are." A bright, blinding light quickly gathered around his body.

"You're an idiot!"

One second before landing.

The feeling of a familiar energy surged through his veins as the drug of spirit energy blasted through his body, engulfing his surroundings. He began to feel rejuvenated by its warm, comforting glow. However, just as the healing wave had helped its master, it turned on his enemies as the soft white light soon transformed into a heavy burst of raw power that bombarded the remaining Grimm below in a deathly hot meteor shower as Minato himself shot into the sky like a stray missile with a flowing tail of white.

Quickly rocketing up into the clouds, he rammed headfirst into the nearest Grimm, forcing it to struggle and claw as its body was subjected to the beating of a sonic jet. Another of its kind slammed onto its back, then another, and then another until a final explosion pierced the heavens as the bluenette smirked and detonated another Megidolaon in the sky.

"Could you be any less conspicuous, you show off?"

"Nope! I like to be myself when I'm in battle!" Minato said, crashing into a pile of stray lumber. The sheer force of the landing had kicked up a significant amount of dust and debris and made a massive crater in the area. "Anyways, how's your part of the mission?" He leaned back and relaxed on his new throne of rubbish, fit for a rubbish king.

"Evacuation is an all clear. It looks like we've managed to save almost every last one of them. I'm surprised you even considered helping these dipshits." Akira chuckled from the other line.

"Well, it was kind of our fault that they were caught up in this mess. Besides, from what we've seen, these Grimm don't discriminate. I'd feel bad if we had blood on our hands." The bluenette said as he checked the coordinates of the others. It seemed that most of them had ceased combat completely. Those extra earpieces sure came in handy.

"Says the guy who had murder in his eyes just a few minutes ago." Akira joked.

"Hey, how'd you know about that? I swear I didn't kill anyone, ok?" Minato shot back childishly, a stupid smirk on his face.

"While exchanging evacuation information, Ruby told me about everything. Based on her description, I'm pretty sure she wasn't fully aware of how stupid you were really being." Recalling how he treated those Dust-gunners, Minato gave a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Most of the time, I like to remain impartial. But if you harm my family, I'm automatically allowed to pass whatever judgement I see fit. If you live forever armless, so be it."

"You truly are ruthless."

Minato could hear his teammate give a small scoff and a sigh before someone else cut into their line. Countless relieved voices crackled to life and what was once a cacophony-filled battlefield of ravenous beasts and exhausted huntsmen-in-training had now settled down into an eerie, static wasteland, not unlike a dead world after a tragic disaster.

"Good news, bro! I think we've taken out pretty much everything here!" Yang briefed the bluenette.

"It doesn't look like there's any more of them here either." Weiss reported from another area.

"We just helped the last of the White Fang escape, too!" Ruby was last to come in.

Minato smiled, it seemed like the storm had finally dissipated. "Good job everyone. We should all regroup by the entrance. It'll be easier to meet there."

* * *

"Yu, are you doing ok?" Ruby noticed the male was paler than before. From the way he loosely gripped his katana to his sunken eyes and posture, the boy looked much more sickly than before. The walk from each area shouldn't have been long, and the battle shouldn't have lasted for more than an hour or so, and yet the Atlas heir looked as if he had fought for days on end.

"Yeah… I was getting a bit exhausted…." The gray-haired boy spoke in shallow breaths, which sounded worn down by the ongoing chaos.

"We should get you back to the dorms. You look like you're going to drop any second." Weiss carefully supported the boy's arm on her shoulder, letting him lean on her small frame. She felt her own legs start to give way under the weight, but it was the best she could do.

"What are you going on about…? I'm fine." She felt him try to stand on his own, only to feel the same weight from before push back onto her side.

"Yu, this tiredness you're feeling, could it be due to the entity you just summoned?" Blake pondered out loud, recalling back to the enormous amounts of power the floating apparition released upon the warehouses. It felt like something out of a high fantasy, filled with magic, wizards, and warlocks. Something that was not a part of this world.

"Oh yeah...was that thing a part of his Semblance or something?" If Yang could remember, Weiss's family was famous for their summoning. Having similar Semblances was not unheard of in the world of Remnant. It was just that this particular type was extremely rare.

"No, it's an entirely different power." Akira announced, stepping into the conversation. He took a look at his exhausted friend, who tried to stay awake.

"Then… what is it?" Weiss could feel her heart tighten. The more she gave thought to the idea, the more sense it started to make and the more it unnerved her. How could such destructive forces exist in the world? It went against everything she was taught to know: culture, religion, science, common knowledge, and so on. How should she feel about the matter? Should she embrace the existence of something she had wished for in her childhood, or should she be scared of the carnage it might cause if left in the wrong hands? Were there others like him? All audiences fell into silent contemplation over the matter, until a lone bluenette uttered a single word. A word they'd all been hesitant to confirm.

"Magic"

"You can't be…." Disbelief, astonishment, and confusion were written all over the blonde brawler's eyes as she turned to Minato, remembering back to how he had so easily stopped her punch earlier. Those electric blue eyes and solemn face conveyed that he knew much more than he let on. Then, everyone held their heads up high to see flames of brilliant blue form up in the sky and slowly morph into a pale, fair skinned woman.

"A… Faunus?" All of her bodily instincts told Blake that there was much more to this entity floating in the air. However there was not much she could convey. The long, glowing, and golden mane of the female before her floated weightlessly above, ignoring all rules of gravity as two large white horns protruded from the top of her head. Her entire figure was engulfed in a serene azure light, making their meeting feel as if it were from a distant dream.

"Mediarahan."

A wave of relief washed over the group, accompanied by a soothing warm light that traveled from person to person. Soon, all of their Auras began to mimic the same majestic glow, closing up any faults in the battered invisible barriers.

"I can heal back up your Auras, but I can't promise anything about severe wounds." Akira said, waving away the Persona with the motion of his hand.

"So that was the reason the Aura trackers went wild back then…." Yang mumbled to herself, crossing her arms. Throughout their talk, no one noticed the absence of a certain scythe-wielding girl.

"How about this? We'll answer any questions you all may have once we're back in the dorms. This really isn't a good place to talk" Minato felt eyes, several pairs of them narrowing in suspicion. It wouldn't be long before he would have to spill his secrets, and he could already feel Yang digging into his caged soul.

"Then you three better have a good explanation when we get ba—!" Something tightened around her heart. Her entire body was paralzyed and her throat burned in an agitation similar to swallowing bags of burning coal.

"M-Minato… I can't… move…." A weak whisper came from Ruby.

"Minato… please. Get everyone out…." Yu begged, a sharp, piercing pain beginning to ease its way into his skull as both Weiss and him collapsed to the floor.

"SHIT!" Realizing what was about to happen, pale and horrified, Minato immediately grabbed Blake and Yang and threw them by their arms, sending the two a far distance away. He saw Akira do the same for Ruby and Weiss as she went flying with Yu. Without much warning, he felt a familiar sinking dread build up from his gut as he looked down to find a wide, almost invisible circle of dark, blazing energy rapidly close beneath his feet. He reacted quickly, but he could feel his chest tighten and heart crash against his ribcage, his ears start to ring, and mind begin to melt at the pain of a thousand large needles being stabbed into his flesh. He gasped for breaths, and his vision turned red, for he knew that for himself, it was too late.

"Akira!"

"Minato!"

Red. All he saw was red as something warm and metallic began to pool from the back of his throat and into his mouth. Burning hot sensations reaching thousands of degrees mixed with a heavy claustrophobic energy weighed and crashed into chest as his entire body involuntarily convulsed and twitched from the attack on his nerves. He heard them call. He could hear them cry, but no matter what he tried, he could not move in the slightest in this blazing hell of red and black.

"Minato!" He heard the pair call, but this time, it was mixed in with another voice. One that lacked any empathy or warmth. The more the pair called to him, the louder the other one grew and the more he was dragged away from the darkness. Soon, blurs of odd colors and shapes started to fill his vision. He felt someone gingerly propping him up. His eyes recognized the blobs of red and gold as his sobbing sisters both tightly embraced him in their arms.

"Hahahahaha!" And from the distance, a chilling, deranged cackle sounded in the darkness.

"M-Minato! Please! Please, wake up!" Wet, hot tears touched his skin, but it was still hard to move.

"Minato! I swear! I swear, i-if you die on us now, I'll—" He felt Yang's grip tighten her hands in desperation.

"I did it! I did it! I've finally killed that blue demon!" the other voice bellowed, screaming into the heavens.

"Y-you monster! What the hell did you do to my brother?!"

Rage, loathing, and wrath all gathered and settled in his mind.

"You're related to that demon?!"

"Answer my question, you piece of shit! Or I will _end_ you!" A sharp boom was heard.

"Yang…"

"Ohhh, is that you, Little Red? Haha! Fancy seeing you again, isn't it? How'd you like my grand entrance, huh?! Feel welcomed yet? What…? Don't tell me you're related to that hell spawn too?!

"Do you know him, Ruby…?" He saw Yang turn to their youngest.

"N-no!"

"Lying little bitch! Of course you know! You know what you fucking did, you dumb brat! That explosion by the Dust shop almost killed me! " A clash of metal rung out from afar, shaking the earth beneath them as several pebbles flew in his face. "Why couldn't that shitty brother of yours just finished me right then and there, huh?"

A wall of red at once clouded his mind.

"What?!"

"Her! HER! DO YOU FUCKWITS NOT REALIZE WHAT YOU DID?! YOU SENT ME TO _HER_!" WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME?! HUH?! SHE ISN'T REAL! SHE ISN'T SUPPOSED TO _EXIST_!" The voice rambled on and on, each time amplifying in volume and insanity, subjecting the two sisters forced to the ramblings of a madman.

"H-her? Who is she…?" Ruby yelled back, shaking and unable to comprehend the voice.

"Fine! If you shits won't listen to me then I will _personally_ send you all to the other side!"

"What are you even talking about?!" Yang sprung up, charging up her weapon.

"You're related to him right? I can't let people related to him survive! That would be a disaster! It would doom the rest of humanity if I did! You see? I'm not doing this because I want to, girls! I'm doing this to save Remnant!" Roars of a colossal Grimm rose up from the belly of the earth while massive fissures sunk the remaining gutted buildings in the area. In the center emerged a towering black-and-white masked giant carrying an old, stone scythe. Its monstrous call was enough to chill even the bravest of hearts and cause winds that raised everyone's hairs.

"You're insane!"

"Megidolaon!" A mammoth beam of light radiated from the monster, heading straight towards the specks on the ground who faced it head on, knowing it was too late to run. Yang and Ruby tightly held on to their brother, bracing for their inevitable ends. The world phased into a blinding white until it was all they saw. The wind started to pick up in a haunting hollow. All noise became drowned by the incoming end—

"No."

A blade pierced through the chaotic energy, parting the ocean of deadly white in half, sending the bisected halves expanding into the night on either side as pools of energy ravaged their surroundings and bulldozed the once jagged landscape clean in burnt patches of fissures and broken earth. Rocks loosened and melted into dust, foliage disappeared and burned in the light, and the Grimm of the forest were wiped into oblivion.

"M-Minato…?"

"H-how are you—?!"

"You mess with my family…" Silver eyes of wrath pierced through the figure atop the Grimm.

Minato raised his free hand into the empty night.

"T-the demon! It's alive! ALIVE!"

A dark energy pulsed and swayed until it shaped itself into a graceful crimson blade, grasping its grip. A river of black fire blazed forth from the sword, shooting miles and miles up into the air while its white metallic counterpart mimicked its motions in the opposite color. The concrete beneath Minato broke and exploded from the pressure, with dust and debris all being projected harshly into the atmosphere. Sparks of monochrome energy flashed around the bluenette in a lethal dance of death.

"You answer to me!"

_RAAAAAHHHHH!_

Shards of blue glass materialized from the air, quickly manifesting into the shape of a monstrous humanoid as it howled up at the shattered moon. Raising its two massive blades into the heavens, it snapped open its several coffins while dashing forward with its master in the lead. Minato leapt forth with dual blades of darkness and light in hand, creating a sonic boom of energy as he zoomed ahead, transforming into a massive blur of black, white, and blue nearly impossible to perceive. Slashing, cutting, and breaking anything that stood in his way, he swung down at an oncoming stone scythe, causing a massive wind to flatten anything in their immediate surroundings and split the earth in two. However, this was only the beginning as Minato swung again and again, each successive blow spewing forth a stream of Hama and Mudo energy that cut into the massive Grimm. An explosive cut that severed one of its right arms and an unforgiving horizontal clash of flesh and steel where the bluenette circled the beast took out the entirety of its right side of three spider-like legs.

_GRAAAAAHHHHH!_

The giant gave an ear-splitting screech, which was then matched with an equally blood curdling cry by Thanatos as it followed its master's example, gripping itself onto the monster's upper half and mauling it's face with its own dual swords. The Persona suddenly cracked open its coffins to reveal multiple orbs of light that detonated in point-blank range, sending the Grimm flying back. Minato took this chance to leap onto the behemoth, digging his own blades into its dark flesh and speeding up its side. The deadly spells incinerated the monster from the inside out, spewing out pockets of boiled blood and meat. Dashing up to the very top and propelling himself into the air, he could see a speck of orange and a familiar face. A familiar and very _horrified_ face. Raising and crossing the dual blades above his head, Minato gave the frightened figure one last glare before slamming down the two— now mixed— energies onto the giant's head, forming a massive X-shape that spread downwards into its body, completely consuming its monstrous stature whole until there was nothing left.

"Y-you! S-stay away!" Roman dropped, rolled, and tumbled onto the ground, his body now beating back the fire and debris, and crawled desperately, sheltering himself behind a beaten steel firm. His fearful emerald eyes reflected a speck of blue slowly approaching him. He raised his cane, shooting a few Dust rounds that were easily deflected by the bluennette's blades. Sparks flew and shots rang out, but he could do nothing against this… demon.

"..."

"No! _No_! D-don't come any closer, you demon! You're going to send me to _her_ again, aren't you?!" He felt a harsh tug on his collar, his eyes widening as they met cold, steelish silver. Sweat rolled down the older man's back. He could make out a certain blankness and apathy in those dead orbs. His throat tensed, his hands shook, and then he heard him speak in a low, soft whisper.

"You're lucky I won't kill in front of my sisters…."

And with that, the man felt his entire world turn to black.

* * *

"Minato!" From the distance, Ruby could see a blue limping shape in the field. The feeling of relief washed over her as she wiped away a river of tears, sprinting toward the boy from afar.

"Hey Ruby! Wait up!" Yang followed right after while the others trailed behind.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" The small girl shouted, getting closer and closer to his figure, only to feel her smile disappear at the sight of the bluenette's broken state. His clothes were torn, his eyes were dead, and as she reached out a hand, he crumpled to the floor, a river of red liquid streaming from his mouth.

* * *

"Breaking into a dangerous White Fang hideout, sneaking off campus at night, dragging another team along with you, and injuring two of your teammates!" Glynda slammed a thick stack of papers on the desk, a hot green fire burning in her eyes. "How could you run off without informing either of us? What if the White Fang learned of the abilities you possess?! What do you think they would do?!" She eyed a single dark-haired student standing in the headmaster's office, her tone sounding more and more dire with each word revealed in the report.

"I understand. I take full responsibility for our actions." Akira uttered out, averting his gaze.

"Mr. Kurusu, if we were here to discuss your actions, then I would immediately drop all three of you from our student list. However, due to the nature of our situation and you and your team's… standing, there are much more… delicate issues at hand." Glynda massaged her temple, already feeling an migraine coming.

"So, Mr. Kurusu, will you kindly inform us of why you and your team, along with Miss Rose's friends, broke into a row of storehouses operated by the White Fang?" Ozpin put down his mug. Akira could feel the man's eyes digging deep into his soul.

"Yeah! We would like to know, too!" The three in the room turned to the elevator, finding a crimson-eyed Yang and three others trailing behind. All of them seemed downcast, if not shaken by the incident. Weiss's eyes drooped, refusing to make contact with anyone, Blake hid herself among the group, and Ruby was dragged along by one arm by her frowning older sister.

"Miss Xiao Long, please refrain from bursting into the headmaster's office unannounced. We can discuss this matter after—"

"No! We're staying!" The young girl flared up in a fiery display of anger, golden hair ablaze and fists raised to fight, taking Glynda by surprise.

"This is a priva—"

"My brother is lying unconscious on some dirty hospital bed somewhere because you asshats refused to tell me what's going on!" Yang slammed her fist on the wall. "You knew what really happened at that Dust shop, didn't you?!" She shot daggers at Ozpin, stomping madly on the floor, and her words were filled with venom."You knew and told Ruby to keep this a secret, _didn't you_?!"

"Yang, please… calm down." A small whimper came from Ruby, who stayed tucked behind her older sister.

"Why should I, Ruby? All three of you were keeping something this big from me this whole time?! That my adoptive brother was some kind of crazy magic user?! That my little sister was almost killed in that explosion?! That the headmaster of Beacon told everyone to shut up about this?!"

Red, red, red. All she saw was red. Not only did her crimson eyes light up in that brilliantly violent color of passion, but so did the whites of her eyes, growing pinker as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Professor, let them stay. They at least deserve an explanation." Observing the older man, Akira could see the gears turning in his head. He was definitely assessing the ups and downs of the situation. Not once did he bend to emotion.

"If you are comfortable, Mr. Kurusu." The graying headmaster nodded, then turned to Ruby. "And Miss Rose, I believe you have informed your team of the happenings of that particular night?"

She nodded silently.

"Very well." Ozpin took another sip from his mug. "Starting from where we left off, Mr. Kurusu, could you please tell us what peaked your interest in the White Fang in that area?"

"Bullets."

"Bullets?" Yang cocked an eyebrow, bemused.

"To put it bluntly, bullets that hold foriegn magical energy." Akira spoke up in hesitation.

"What?!" Glynda said with shocked eyes, paling from the implications. "And you neglected to inform us?"

"How… _destructive_ are these bullets?" Ozpin's grip on his mug tightened. From the very back, he could see Blake also tense up.

"At maximum power, I believe that they can take down a large office building. It's why we decided to investigate their warehouse." His feline ears twitched. Someone in the back was definitely unnerved.

"And did you find what you were looking for?" The headmaster pressed further, "Our recovery team did end up fetching some interesting artifacts." The older man's eyes widened when he saw his student casually reach into thin air and plop out a few candy-colored Dust rounds.

"These are the ones I found while looking into one of their storage units. They blend in well with the other dust rounds, but there are a few minor differences. And before you ask, yes, we all have a weird pocket dimension." Akira sighed. Once he discovered that he could use his soul as a storage house in his old world, he was infinitely relieved. It was how he was able to take hundreds of Chewing Souls and other assorted items into the Palaces without dragging his team down.

"Since you and your teammates decided to investigate the origin of these anomalies, does that imply that they may have originated from a source similar to the one your own abilities come from?" Glynda questioned.

"Yeah, we'd like to know more about those powers too." Yang added, still extremely bitter.

"From the reports of the Schnee Dust Company… the White Fang don't appear to have had anything nearly as destructive in the past…." Weiss mumbled.

Akira began to feel a migraine. "That very well might be the case." From his words, he observed the headmaster paling ever so slightly. In fact, the entire room had come to a standstill. No more questions, no more talking, and no more complaints as the frozen group processed what this new piece of information might mean, until someone finally asked for confirmation of the unspoken realization that hung above their heads, similar to that of a storming gray cloud.

"D-does this mean there might be other magic users like you out there…?" Blake blurted out, her voice cracking in the process.

"Remember those strange Grimm we fought back then? I'm afraid there's little chance those beasts would have naturally come to exist on Remnant." Finally assessing the gravity of the situation, Akira could feel a heavy weight being placed on his chest, causing him to tense. Fears, nightmares, and other twisted imaginations began to bubble from his unconscious. What if something had truly followed him from his world? What if the same threat now knew of where its true foes were? He saw the four girls before him huddle closely together as if caught up in a brutal winter storm then he turned to the speechless adults standing in the room. In a way, he felt sorry for everyone involved, because it seemed like they were all innocent victims swept up in what was otherwise his problem, and his unresolved mess.

"This is starting to snowball into something bigger than even I originally anticipated…." In a once-in-a-lifetime display, the headmaster let down his guard, even if only for a few seconds, showing his worn out face and exhausted eyes. For thousands of years, he had fought tooth and nail with that immortal witch for the world, but now all his efforts appeared to slowly crumble before his eyes. First it was the loss of Raven and the others, then the Fall Maiden, and now an entirely new threat that had oh so carefully snaked its way into his realm. He shook to think of what that women might do if she got her hands on abilities this otherworldly. Perhaps in some ways, she already has.

It was as if he was destined to fail. And so he silently cursed the gods. For centuries, he had silently cursed the two bastard gods.

"Sir?" Glynda watched weary-eyed.

"Professor Ozpin…?" Ruby saw his act crumble, stepping out of her team's embrace and into the cold of the room.

"Yes, Miss Rose?" She feel the stress in his voice, the heavy pressure to not break.

"What are we going to do about this…?" Words escaped from her throat in something of an involuntary action. If she hadn't, she was sure she would have choked. The eyes of a helpless child stared back at the two adults for a sign of assurance, hope, or guidance. In this unforgiving world of huntsmen and Grimm, children had always turned to their parents, and students to their instructors for where to go or what to do.

"I… I'm sorry, Miss Rose. For now, I will… try to formulate a plan." Pent up frustrations from hundreds of years crushed his mind, tortured his soul, and sapped away his spirit. Ozma was once a wise soul that guided humanity out of the darkness. He built civilization back up from the bottom and gave hope to the people of Remnant. He was their beacon. He was their light, and for every question, problem, conflict, or situation, he would always have a solution. However, for once in his life, he had none.

"No, Professor." The girl shook her head, standing tall among the broken crowd, her eyes still red from the tears. "I was asking what _we_ were going to do. It's not just the adults caught in this…." She shifted her gaze to Akira and then her teammates. "It's all of us."

"Thank you, Miss Rose, but as much as I want to find a solution, I would never want to involve students—"

"Can I remind you of how you literally admitted my sister to the school early to keep your little secret?" Yang called out the headmaster. He was speechless.

"Then what do you propose we do?" The ancient man looked to the next generation for a solution.

"We may not have all of the information, strength, or manpower, but we still have to do what we can to help the people." Seeing the horrific wonders of what such powers could do, Weiss was sure that there was no logical way they could win; however, that didn't mean they could leave hundreds of millions of humans and Faunus to fend for themselves. After all, a certain someone had taught her to hold her head up high, no matter how bleak the situation seemed.

"What about the hopes and dreams of the people attending Beacon? I doubt a little magic can crash them that easily." Yang perked up, reminding everyone of the resilience of the human soul to stand up to almost anything.

"And the lead we have. We know the White Fang has something to do with it, for starters. If we investigate more, we'll have more to work with in the future." Ruby added last, earning a genuine look of surprise from her professor. "Hm?"

"Something up?" Akira cocked an eyebrow, along with the rest.

"I apologize for seeming unprofessional," Ozpin cleared his throat, "but it feels a bit surreal relying on my students for answers. Please don't take this the wrong way." He corrected himself. Experiencing a tinge of light-hearted innocence was refreshing for the man. "However, the next few steps you all proposed are all valid points, especially yours, Miss Rose. First, we make sure the people are safe. Continuing to educate our students will prove vital in saving countless lives in the future. Second, we closely monitor the White Fang for their future plans and activities."

He couldn't believe it, but through sheer stupidity, he had sunken into the deepest depths of his darkness, needing a few children to pull him back. And yet, this was all they had, all _he_ had, to work with.

"Akira?" The raven-haired Persona user felt Ruby tug at his jacket, "Can you please tell us all you can about your magic? Or anything helpful that we can learn?" He could see that she knew more than she let on.

"Yes, Mr. Kurusu. It's essential that we use all available resources on hand," Ozpin nudged, quickly latching onto Ruby's plan like a savage animal.

"Fine." He finally caved. There was no other choice, and they all deserved to know, anyway. "But I want the rest of my team with me before I do. They can fill in any holes I may have." Delaying the explanations were best, it gave him time to nitpick a speech.

"Then it's settled. Once Mr. Arisato and Mr. Narukami are awake and back to full health, we will continue this discussion." Ozpin watched the group leave one by one, all departing in the tower's steel elevator, and soon leaving him alone with Glynda by his side.

He sat up straight, then relaxed, and then slumped in his chair, staring up into the empty starless sky.

* * *

Ruby collapsed onto her bed, dark bags under her eyes. Wiping away the last of her tears, she could only retreat to the safe space that was the back of her head. She closely hugged her bed sheets, curling up warmly within them, and hid away from the cold darkness. Monsters, beasts, and Grimm all came prowling during this hour in her past, but she could always rely on the company of her siblings to keep her safe. Now that she was alone, though, all of the creatures of the night known as stress, anxiety, and her dark imagination came to play. She promised to protect her family, and yet her brother was now stuck unconscious in the hospital. She promised to keep him out of trouble and ended up nearly sending her entire team into a death trap full of otherworldly beasts. Gingerly, she closed her eyes, hiding away under her covers. Hiding away from the monsters of her mind's abyss.

As the small team of girls slept into the soundless night, no one noticed the single dark figure awakening from her sleep and exiting the room.

Blake gently closed the wooden door behind her and snuck down to the courtyard of the silent campus. Hiding away by a large stone pillar that obscured her figure, she made sure no one was around to see her cowardly run away, but something made her jump.

"Are you going to run?" A familiar call had caught her off guard. She raised her weapon only to find a loosely-dressed Akira writing in the dirt.

"W-what are you doing?" The dark-haired girl backed away, unable to process the bizarreness of the situation.

"Tending to the plants. Planting more seeds." He never once raised his head, his hands working tirelessly in the dirt.

"Do you… do this often?" She couldn't help but wonder what possessed someone to go gardening at three in the morning in the school's yard.

"I do it when I'm trying to get stuff off my mind." The same rhythmic motion of digging into the earth and tending to the greenery reminded him of his days spent on that distant rooftop. A vague memory, but a memory to treasure nonetheless.

"So does this mean that you're frustrated with the situation too?" For whatever reason, Blake felt the need to keep the conversation going, maybe due to how uncharacteristic it looked for someone like Akira to be doing something so… selfless.

"Of course I am. All those words exchanged during that clusterfuck of a meeting? Talk about spewing hot air. Ozpin even looked close to snapping." He carefully picked a pile of sunflower seeds, not minding the Faunus company next to him.

"I'll have you know that those "puffs of hot air" came from my teammates." She frowned, but didn't sound too hostile.

"You're running because you know that what they all said was bullshit, right? It doesn't take a genius to figure out how scared they really were. They're all barely holding it together…. I saw all of them cry for a long time in that hospital" Akira continued to dig with his hand.

"R-running? How did you—?!"

"That bag you're carrying behind you is a big hint. Another would be how you were the quietest of them all." He finally looked up.

"Then, are you going to call my team?" Hiding her right hand, she silently readied her weapon, sweat rolling down her back. But his next words came as a surprise.

"Do what you want. It's not your mess anyway" He stood up, "You're the only smart one, Blake. What me and my group might have dragged into this world could be something that the people of Remnant won't fully comprehend. I suggest running back to your family and spending what time you have left with them before everything blows over."

"J-just how powerful of a being are you talking about?" From the way he spoke, it sounded like the end was practically assured for Remnant. It scared her, it truly did. If even someone wielding an unbelievable wealth of magic sounded grim, then what was left for the rest of them?

"I don't want to alarm you. Go."

"No, I at least want to know what will happen to my home." she said stern, unlike her usual skittish self. Thinking back to her family and the island of Faunus that were shunned by the world, what end would they all likely meet?

"A god. A god focused on bringing humanity to its knees. An immortal being. An impossibly powerful tyrant that can wipe the world clean with the snap of its finger." His face softened, a certain sadness in his eyes as he felt sorry for the girl and her world. "I'm sorry Blake, but I'll try to fix the problem I've caused for all of you, along with my buddies". Dark clouds hung overhead, covering any signs of stars in the sky, obscuring all hope.

"Wait, are you saying you're going to try to take on this… god?" Confusion laced her face, "But you just said a second ago that it was unkillable—"

"I'd rather die trying than let that _thing_ do what it wants." His fists tightened hard enough to show the whites of his knuckles as his eyebrows furrowed, but he relaxed with a bitter smile, "I have no dreams in this world anyway. I've done enough drifting around." He was born into a world that did not welcome him into its ranks, chasing, accusing, and berating him to no end throughout his entire life.

"No desires or dreams at all?" Even as a young Faunus, she had wished for a world where humans and her kind would live as one. Even in the White Fang, the people there had stories to tell, dreams to fulfill. To her, everyone had a dream.

She saw him shake his head, "Not for a long time, no." Leaning against a grand Greek pillar, the two stood against a solemn sky.

"Then, what about back then? You said you dragged that god here. Does that mean you come from a… different place?" The more they talked, the more Blake felt her fear become dwarfed in the bigger picture. The White Fang now felt so miniscule against the likes of an immortal god and other worlds.

"I wanted to study Aerospace engineering and go into their astronautics branch." He turned to the dark girl, earning a baffled look at his wording. "Basically, building spaceships." Now that he thought about it, as advanced as Remnant was compared to his own world, they never went to space.

"As in, building something that can go past the atmosphere? Is there really a type of Dust that'll work up there?" She asked, gazing at the shattered moon and wondering what it was like to visit such as a celestial body. Then she heard him chuckle.

"Nope. Dust doesn't exist in my world" He saw her face redden. "We used something called fossil fuels instead and most of our technology was powered by our own way of generating electricity,"

"T-then what about the Faunus? Do they live equally there?" She wasn't sure just how different their worlds were, but she was desperate to know.

"Instead of a human versus Faunus struggle, we had struggles with other humans. Wars, civil rights, government, law. In some ways, my version of humanity maybe even worse than Remnant's. And no, Faunus simply didn't evolve into existence where I'm from." He saw her eyes droop but then fill with questions of why other humans would have conflicts with each other. She quickly realized why.

"Even if we come from different places, humanity seems like it doesn't really change, does it? Always fighting over something, always starting pointless conflicts." It was hard, living as a Faunus. Sometimes, it made the dark beauty loath humankind and their actions. "Say, is having no dream the only reason you want to save Remnant? Do you want to help humanity here as well? Even being a Faunus?"

"No. I hate them all. Human, Faunus, they're all shit." He huffed, looking disgusted.

"W-what?"

"Every single one of them is either a dumbass, imbecile, retard, or idiot. If weren't for the fact that the threat was partly my fault then I would have gladly watched them burn." The shocked expression of Blake's was almost amusing. "But I do want to help them."

Still stunned, she could only marvel at his logic. "How exactly…?"

"Help them from that stupid threat. Help them be less dumb shits, guide them to be less annoying and oboxinous," he contunied, igorning her bewildered gaze, "And you'll be amazed once I'm done."

"So you _do_ care…."

"I thought you were going to run."

"Well, I changed my mind,"

"How?"

"Because running is useless at this point."

"So you've realized?"

"If it means facing the end, I want to show the humans that a Faunus also fought to save the world". Blake untied her black bow, uncovering her two dark feline ears, mirroring Akira's.

"Humanity is shit, isn't it? But shit can still learn too."

* * *

**It got pretty dark didn't it? This chap is more of a build up and damage control for what happened with the White Fang. It was originally supposed to be glazed over but the more I thought about the psychological impact it would have on the cast, the more I was tempted to write this instead. Ruby and the girls are in shambles along with Oz, so it was a good opportunity to look deeper into their thoughts. Of course this is gonna deivate the entire cast from canon of how paranoid they were compared to the actual show and will change how they react quite a bit. **


	8. Can't Escape from Crossing Fate BBTAG

**Author's Note: As requested the BBTAG joke chapter is finally here! Hhahhahahaha! Ok, this won't be an official chapter and everything that happens in here should be considered non canon for the future. Everyone's IQ will be slashed by at least 50 and multiplied by negative 5 so some there will be some character OCC. THIS CHAPTER IS COMPLETELY SKIPPABLE for those of you'll who are still waiting for chapter 8 (which is in the works). Treat this as one big joke and a happy new year gift! **

**Combine117: Oh no this is just the tip of the iceberg **

**Emoprotagonist: Hhehe, guess where that dual blade idea came from. "Her" was referring to Salem who Roman encountered at the end of chapter one. For Blake and Akira, I prefer to see them more as friends, or being one sided with Blake because there's gonna be spoilers for why Akira is incapable of forming deep romantic relationships in the future. Yes, Akira maxed out all his S links in his past, planting is just one of the many he does to get stuff off his mind. There will be brief glimpses of what the three protag's lives were like before they came to Remnant. Thank you for the long review as always!**

**Ultimate Kuuga: hhaha so you agree with Akira? Poor guy can neve catch a break **

**Diaspared: Yep, but that's the beauty of it. Never backing down, looking fear in the face, even if it may seem impossible. The girls aren't giving up that easily.**

**Again this Chapter is skippable **

**Please review and tell me your thoughts**

* * *

**Can't Escape from Crossing Fate! **

Small bubbles of sizzingling broth began to raise above chunks of brown, orange, and gold, forming a melting pot of hot ingredients, filling the room with a sweet, herb like aroma that slowly mixed with the fine afternoon air. Stirring with a large metallic spoon and sprinkling a small snippet of crushed ginger crumbs, Akira carefully sampled the large steaming brew.

"Hmm" The raven haired boy sipped from a small sample that he had isolated from the rest, "It needs more spice"

"Here, let me have a taste" Blake grabbed another spoon and sipped from the broth, "You're right, I think there's some left in the shared cabinets over there." Opening up an assorted arrangement of half empty jars, she scanned around the student kitchen for the right spice, only to come up with a disappointed sigh.

"Lemme guess, someone used up the last of it" Akira frowned, dusting off his pink apron.

"Maybe we can borrow some from the upperclassmen? They have another communal kitchen in their building" putting aside a few cooking utensils, Blake cleaned herself before putting away a similar colored apron.

"Good idea. I just hope they haven't ran out too" Exciting out the shared kitchen door, the two made sure to unlit the stove and made their way into the quiet dorm hallways.

However, just as they went, the same door slide ajar by another force. And with that force, came a sparkling orb of blue that pierced straight through to the other side at the idle curry pot settled cozily on the stove.

"The coast is clear, I don't see either of them here" Weiss whispered, quietly edging her way to the prize not unlike a bad movie ninja, her body low to the ground just in cause anyone decided to peer from the first floor window. She then saw Yu, who followed right behind, pull out a big brown paper bag stuffed with all sorts of nick nacks.

"Good, let's get to work" Yu uncovered the pot's cap, being hit with an overwhelming mouth-watering smell. The steamy broth of the curry was enough to drive anyone huntsmen mad.

"Yu...are you sure we can do this? I don't recall us ever asking permission in meddling in their...cooking" Unsure of how to respond, or what the gray swordsmen was going to do to the already fine dish, Weiss was beginning to question their actions.

"Relax, relax. This will be a surprise. Akira and Blake are to love this. First we secretly add our own ingredients to make it delicious, then they'll both be shocked by how good it is" Yu beamed a smile at the heiress, who cocked an eyebrow. She then reached for his bag.

"Right...let me see what's in here," sorting through all kinds of unfamiliar oddities, the more time she took, the longer she cringed her face at the weird textures that were inside. From soft and squishy, to items so sharp that it grazed against her smooth skin, she took a deep breath and pulled out something that felt somewhat normal. "Hmmm, I've seen our head chef use this before at a dinner party once" The girl observed a fancy purple herb, turning it slowly in the kitchen light.

"And what about this? It makes everything better" Following Weiss's example, Yu snatched a random item from the batch, showing a mini jar of mystery sauce.

"Ok...?" Seeing his kind smile, a sense of guilt would surely burden her if she expressed her concern, even if it was from a place of kindness.

"Don't worry Weiss. Curry is famous for being a mix dish back where I'm from. The more ingredients the better as they say" before either of them could say anymore, they heard a slight knock coming from the door. Fearing the worst and with new adrenaline pumping through her veins, Weiss rushed to block the entrance, slamming her entire body weight against the door.

"You keep what you're doing, I'll go distract whoever this is!" Weiss quietly whispered, feeling the strength of her opponent trying to force the kitchen open from the other side. It must be someone extremely powerful.

"Oh Weiss! I didn't know you were already working on something!" A soft formal voice came from the other end, implying the intruder was a certain spear wielding redhead.

"Y-yea! Hey Pyrrha! Well I'm almost done with what I'm doing!" The heiress tried blocking off the Mistral champion, using her entire body as a shield, a wide faux smile plastered her face, her eyes constantly rolling to the side to see what was happening inside. "Just need a little more time…"

* * *

Dumping out an entire bag's worth of content, Yu took a deep breath and begin to work on seasoning the idle curry pot, adding in whatever he felt was necessary in making it the best dish ever. Reaching in the pile and picking out the mystery sauce, he added half of the small bottle and then moved onto, throwing in a Grimm claw, some starfish, sugar free gummy bears, and a bottle of expensive wine. However, this wasn't the end, as he lifted what seemed to be a live octopus Minato had helped him secure and dumped it straight into the boiling broth below, leaving the poor creature to struggle for its life in the tasty concoction of death.

"Phew, that should be enough" He wiped a beat of sweat off his face, now facing the door.

"Pyrrha! Help! Jaune stuck himself between the lockers again!" Breathing a breath of relief, he heard the awkward banter between Weiss and the Mistral champion cease as Nora shouted from the hallway.

"Sorry Weiss! But I may need to go for now! It was nice speaking with you!" Gasping and showing signs of panic in her eyes, Pyrrha's footsteps echoed from the halls, hurriedly sprinting out the student dorms along with two other people.

"That was unexpected…" Weiss relaxed her stance, feeling her heart beat race at the sudden encounter. "Are you finished?" Walking over as Yu capped the curry broth, carefully not leaving any trace of their presence behind.

"Just about. Thanks for covering for me Weiss" he beamed a soft child like grin, making the heiress flush a nice shade of pink.

"G-good! Now let's leave before they come back!"

* * *

"I didn't know the senior kitchen had this much leftover" Akira said, holding an almost full jar of red spice, placing it next to the stove while the pot once again sat undisturbed, eagerly waiting for its master's return.

"It doesn't seem like a lot of them cook there either, huh?!" Blake's ears twitched, feeling a sudden chill crawl up her spine as she felt a forgien breeze brush against her skin. Noticing something was terribly off with her surroundings and her vision blurring at an alarming rate, she instinctively reached for her blade on impulse, only to find the familiar black sword actually strapped to her back. Without much time to react and with her world in quick disarray, she fired the gun of her Gambol Shroud at whoever had bumped into her body, hearing a small yelp.

"Blake!"

"A-akira? Is that you? I-I'm sorry for firing at you like that. Are you alright?" Finally beginning to see the fizzy shapes and distorted colors begin to form into proper forms, she hurried to the raven haired boy's side, who had been knocked down by the surprise attack.

"Yea, don't worry about it" Akira scratched the back of his head, he could practically hear all his personas in a sudden uproar at the change in atmosphere. A warning that a new and mysterious power was in the air. "Anyway...did you see what happened?"

"No…I just had this strange feeling wash over me. My head felt like it was going to burst and then the next thing I know, I was here" Blake said paling, finally realizing they weren't in Beacon anymore, rather, they were stuck in a bizarre fantasy land of waterfalls and floating islands. Yet, no matter how she tried to pinch herself, it seemed like it wasn't a dream.

"So you experienced the exact same events too, huh?" Akira dusted himself off, picking up the pot of curry which had thankfully remained unharmed in the process. He looked out into the warm sunset of the surreal land before him, witnessing crystal clear waters of the waterfalls roared and battered against heavy foliage and broken rock. It all felt like something out of a fantasy game. "We should be careful around these parts, my personas are telling me all sorts of strange shit"

"Strange things? Like what-"

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcommmmmeeee one and all to the 90th crossover tag battle tournament! Ek!"

"Strange shit like that!" Akira fired his pistol, a flaming blue bullet cut into the distance. "Tell us why we're here moron! No one kidnaps people from their dorm kitchens out of the blue!"

"W-what?!" the voice skipped.

"I said tell us why you've forced us here against our wills! Talk, or I will find you and force it out myself!" He shielded Blake, stepping in front of her while his ears constantly twitched to locate the announcer.

"Well, aren't you the hot headed bad boy! Then again, this does make you more energized for the tournament! Anyway! You both should listen up if you ever wanna return home ever again. This tournament is your only way back you know?" The voice said fairly casual, ignoring the many threats made by boy.

"Our only way home…?" Blake said, the severity of their situation finally beginning to dawn on her. The more they conversed, the stranger her circumstances became.

"Yep! But it really isn't that hard! All you have to do is win this tournament and you'll both be on your way!" The voice declared once again, repeating her previous words, not unlike an automated message.

"And what would you have us do in this tournament?" Akira responded, suspicious.

"Ah, so you are catching on. Will, obviously you'll have to fight your way to the finish line but there is another rule…"

"So there really is more to this" Blake concluded, "This other rule you mentioned, can you explain its importance?"

"A collectathon of course!"

"You have got to be kidding me…" As the disembodied voice ranted on about a grand otherworldly fight show, Akira felt his own hand quickly meet his face in a loud resounding facepalm.

"-Collect all four keystones and you'll be on your way home!" The voice finally finished with what sounded like a booming choir of fireworks in the background.

"Hmmm Akira, doesn't this sound a little too good to be true?" Blake whispered to her cringing companion, ignoring the disembodied announcer.

"You think? Somebody's definitely been cooking up some bullshit. And when I find out who it is I'm going to give them a piece of my mind" Akira focused his eyes, a familiar ringing in his ears as he shifted his attention to his surroundings. A few glowing bushes here, and a pile of strange rock formations there. "Come on Blake, there's no point in talking to that moron. It's better we find out the truth for ourselves"

"Heh, sounds like a plan" The dark haired girl chuckled, both paying little mind to the angry voice in their heads.

"Hey! Are you two there?" it begged for their attention.

"We should keep this pot safe" Akira lifted the metallic container, safely storing it in his soul storage.

"Hello! Earth to Akira! Earth to Blake!"

"It'd be awful if someone were to damage it in battle" Blake added, strolling along the mountainside, the world being bathed in an ethereal warmth of red, orange, and gold, while the sun shone ever so crimson in the dusk sky.

"Please talk to me! This is no way to treat your announcer! I haven't laid out the crazy lore of this world or anything!"

"I'd mane anything that even tries touching that pot" Akira joked, or rather stated. His tone remained a flat neutral.

"This is bullying!" The voice sniffed "So unfair! Why are you only ignoring me!"

* * *

"Yu! Hello? You there?" Weiss paced about a sprawling area, spotting only vague silhouettes of what appeared to be either large jagged mountains, or massively hilly countryside in her view with the only exception being an old abandoned food court and store of some kind nestled in the middle of this odd Mistral like setting. Dark red letters placed on top a worn dusty store front reading the word 'JUNES' in big bold letters, being accompanied by a similar set of ancient Mistralian characters she had seen somewhere before littered about the dream like scene.

The entire setting felt similar to something out of an old timey movie with outdated technology, or maybe a museum set piece displaying the old ways of life in a certain region of Remnant. However, there were no curators, no directors, or any signs of life around to confirm her suspicions. "Going by what that voice told me...there should be more people here" The heiress said to herself, recalling the task to collect all the keystones so she could go back home. Yet, she refused to believe anything that came out of that thing's non-existent mouth. One moment she was on a movie date with Yu and then another, she was here. To say she was worried was an understatement.

But then she heard something. A clash of metal, a single spray of electricity, and a nostalgic voice.

"Come on and fight me already you shrimp! You think you can run off just like that?!" Couching behind a food stand, she glimpsed a deranged madman ram into the shining katana of a dark uniformed boy, who managed to just barely block the ambush attack.

"Can we just talk this out? Like I said, I don't want to hurt you!" The boy in the uniform charged his blade, a great stream of electricity coursed through his body as he kneed his attacker right in the abdomen, throwing him off balance.

"Hah! Hurt me?! Are you stupid? I'm going to be the one to tear you apart dumbass! First I'll take that stupid rock of yours and then I'll-tch!?" Suddenly, and being caught off guard, the madmen leaped back at a rogue wave of speeding icicles that managed to almost bisect him in two, causing him to almost crash into a pile of broken chairs by the food court. Quickly regaining control of his body, he saw a snowy white girl land in front of the boy from before, her blade extended, threatening to pierce into his flesh.

"Stay away from him your fiend!" the snowy angel warned, her eyes as cold as the ice she has just materialized.

"And who the hell are you?!" the madman shouted, giving an equally blood churning glare.

"Summon a fire Persona and stay close to me" Weiss whispered to the boy, who only gave her odd looks.

"What?"

"Just do it before he feels like striking again, I have a plan"

"F-fine"

* * *

"Phew...I didn't expect you to fly us out of there ," Yu said in hushed breaths, now resting on a bench in an empty city center.

"It's to be expected. We've used this routine to fool our foes before after all. The combination of ice and fire forms a nice camouflage for most escapes" Weiss sat close by, for whatever reason he actually respected her personal space. It irked her.

"Say, how did you know about my Wild Card ability? You also said we've done this routine before?" It was peculiar to say the least. Yu Narukami had never met this girl before, yet they had fought in almost complete synchronicity. The way he moved, she mirrored and even predicted him to a creepy degree.

"You told me before remember? Don't tell me that fiend actually knocked you so hard that you forgot" She sounded almost offended, as if he were acting out a bad joke.

"I...did?" Now he was truly puzzled, but it doesn't sound like she's lying either.

"You, Akira, and Minato are all from another world and somehow ended up on Remnant. It's a story you've repeated many times…" At the mention of her last words, her eyes softened, hinting at something more.

"I'm sorry to say this but...I think you may have gotten the wrong me" Yu said softly, "That voice did say there would be people from other worlds. Maybe he's still out there looking for you too miss" Upon realizing what was happening, Yu couldn't help but be curious about the girl's stories.

"O-oh! She did say that! I apologize for making you uncomfortable. Weiss jolted, now her face flushed a bright red at mistaking what could be seen as a random stranger as her Yu.

"No, it's quite alright Miss. I'm sure I would have reacted the same way if I saw any one of my friends here" Yu assured, smiling the same dorky smile.

"S-so you're trying to find your way home too yes?" She tried to change the subject, she wanted to look away from embarrassment. That face just felt too familiar.

"Yea. So far I've only got this keystone" He lifted his hand to a shining yellow diamond floating silently in the air.

Weiss observed the keystone in awe, a tinge of guilt forming in her mind as her heart was torn in two. That little shiny rock was her, and possibly her Yu's only way out, yet it wouldn't be right to take it away from someone who possibility had his own family and friends to go back to.

Someone who was well...Yu.

* * *

"Achoo! Why does it feel like someone is cursing me" Yu wandered through a maze like cathedral, his acriscotic like clothes blending in nicely with the regal and formal scenery. In a way, it really make him seem like the owner of the grand structure. He sighed to himself, countless hours of exploring and a few petty fights later, but he had still yet to see a familiar face. Sitting in the theatre and then suddenly being tossed into another realm was worrying enough, however the disappearance of Weiss had him the most concerned. Maybe she lucked out and stayed behind, or she could be stuck in a similar situation. Hell, he didn't even know if this new world had anything to do with the Shadows-!

"Senpai watch out!"

"Ow!"

"What the?!" Yu stumbled, a knot began to from his stomach, extending his blade in a battle stance.

"Hey, hey calm down! We're not here to fight!" Once again, the voice said, accompanied by a few others that shook him to the core as he stared at the floor.

"Do you think guys think he might be a prince?" A women perked out.

"Yukiko, you do know putting mock labels on people is wrong right?" A short brunette chided, her friend was having way too much fun giving the random encounters they have weird nicknames.

**Sniff Sniff**

"Uhhh Ted?"

**Sniff Sniff**

Yu felt his entire body freeze, his blood running cold and sweat started to drop down his face. No, this can't be real, none of this is real. This had to be a sick dream.

"Teddy, maybe you shouldn't get too close to him like that. He doesn't look too comfortable" Yukiko eyed the bizarrely dressed male, anyone else would have at least tried to attack them by now but…

"Guys, is it me or does he look...really familiar?" the female brunette from before leaned in, unable to see the discern the boy's face from his arched stance, but the body type and hair was already enough to clue her off.

"Yo, you too Chie senpai? Doesn't he look like a weird version of Yu senpai?" a rowdy voice said, but he felt off.

"Whoa, whoa! Don't tell me we've somehow run into his shadow! You guys know how each of ours came in those weird outfits? Maybe...this is how Yu sees himself" A young spiky haired male stepped back, it was the only explanation on why the boy wasn't even moving, let alone interacting with them.

"Don't be ridiculous Yosuke! A persona user can't…huh?" water, small specs of water started to rain down from the boy's face and soak into the cold marble tiles of the floor. Chie stopped, gently padding the stranger on the back. "Hey, I know you don't know us but...if you have something on your mind you can share it with us…" Her eyes drooped, for whatever reason, the vibe he gave felt overwhelmingly nostalgic.

"Yosuke...Chie, Yukiko...Teddy, Rise...I'm so sorry" the boy mumbled.

"R-rise?!" Chie paled.

"H-how does this guy know about Rise?! She isn't even here-!" then, they watched in disbelief and shook. The boy lifted his teary eyed face to reveal an exact copy of their dear friend.

"Yu senpai?!" Kanji yelled out, his call echoing through the empty halls.

"Please...forgive me" he mumbled again.

"What is he even on about?" Yosuke said awestruck, "He's not making any logical sense…"

"What do you think Teddy? Is this person really Yu?" Yukiko asked worriedly, her heart tightened at seeing such a haunted face.

"Well...he does smell like Sensei. There's no mistaking that" The bear frowned, crossing his arms "But on the other hand, he feels...different"

"Different? Not counting the weird outfit he feels like Senpai to me" Kanji said, edging his way closer to this odd version of Yu, "Hey uhh...you doing ok Senpai? If there's anything troubling ya, you can tell us"

There was a palpable silence. A choking tension filled the air. But then it happened.

"T-thanks Kanji" the boy choked out, "I'm glad everyone's doing well..." he wiped a stray tear from his eye, a weak smile graced his worn face.

"So uh...is your name really...Yu Narukami?" Yosuke scratched his head, now creeped out.

"Yosuke, remember that time when we snuck into the girl's locker room and almost got caught? How you had to act like a cat for them to walk away?" the boy said in an eerily calm tone, a soft grin on his teary face.

"Yea...but-"

"You two did what?!" Chie shouted, slamming her foot into the floor, making a destroyed crater.

"I-is that true Senpai!?"

"W-wait a minute! It was a mistake! You know how Yu likes to mess with his wording!" Yosuke squealed, avoiding a karate chop from the smaller brunette, who was now a raging inferno.

"Or Teddy, you liked looking at Yosuke's porn stash that he hid under his bed when he's gone didn't you?" once again, Yu said with a grin.

"No no no no! I am a gentle bear! There's no way I would do anything like that! Right Yukiko? Right Chie?!" Teddy panicked, only to earn a glare from Yosuke and two disgusted glances from the girls. "S-sensei! Why do you have to be so ruthless?" Fake tears streamed down like two massive waterfalls, while the shadow bear balled on the floor, rolling back and forth at the shame.

"I'm sorry Ted" Yu wiped his face again, relaxing his body, "But it was the only way I could make all of you believe me"

"Fine, fine we believe you" Yosuke said in defeat, "But what happened to you when you went back to the city? Were you attending a cosplay convention or something?"

"Back to the city?" Yu asked, now it was his turn to be in disbelief.

"Yea. After a whole year in Inaba, you went back to live with your parents remember?" Chie reminded, her voice rising in concern.

"No...no that can't be right" They all saw him tremble.

"Um...what do you mean by that Senpai? Were you not used to the city life?" Kanji questioned.

"Everyone, please, tell me" Yu felt a knot in his throat as memories from an erased past started to flood back, overwhelming his soul, "That day when we all fought Izanami...what happened?"

"Well duh, we won silly. First we fought her for a while, but then when we thought we'd lost all hope, you summoned a crazy version of Izanagi and blasted her away" Chie spoke in an uplifting tone, patting the crying boy on his back. However, instead of returning such cheerful vibes, her words only made him sob more.

"Chie, what did you do now?" Yosuke snapped.

"Hey! I was trying to cheer him up! Why would he cry at something he should be proud off!" The brunette shot back.

"Yosuke, Chie, please calm down" Yukiko stepped between the two, "Remember how Teddy mentioned that Yu felt different to his usual self? I think I may know why he's been acting so strange" the japanese beauty whispered between the group.

"So you've noticed too Yukiko?" Teddie frowned.

"Yes"

"What do you mean Yukiko senpai? I know Yu senpai is acting off but, is there really anything wrong with him?" Kanji whispered to the others.

Yukiko nodded, her face pained, "Everyone, I want you to listen closely. That Yu over there? I don't think he's our Yu"

"Wait what?" Yosuke narrowed his eyes, but deep down he too knew the same.

"Remember how that voice from before told us there would be people from other worlds? Even without Naoto here, I can say for certain that this Yu came from a different Inaba" shaking her head, the fire priestess could have guessed what must have transpired for the boy to cry such tears of sorrow.

"Yukiko might be right guys…" Teddie gazed back at the broken Yu "When I first smelled him, he had this...extreme of sadness to him. It was so overwhelming that I couldn't even talk"

"Oh no...I was stupid. I didn't know he-..." Upon realizing her mistake Chie's heart dropped. That place was probably where it all ended after all.

"There's no need to be sad Chie. For now, the best thing we can do is tell him what's really going on. It'd be bad for him if we kept him in the dark. Think about how traumatizing it must have been to lose all his friends like that…" Stormy gray clouds loomed over the group of friends, intensely eyeing each other on who would be the one to break the news.

"Fine...I'll do it" Yosuke sighed, already preparing himself for the eventual storm. Taking a deep breath, he approached the lone boy in the church. "Hey ummm...I know this is going to sound rough but-"

He took another breath, this wasn't his Yu, so why was he so nervous?

Everyone watched in a frozen silence.

"How should I put this…We're not exactly" the brunette danced the subject, fumbling his mind for words.

"My friends?"

"Y-yea! W-what! No! no I meant-"

"It's alright. I've realized that half way through" Yu said mellow.

"What?!"

"There's no way my team would come back this easily, besides, I never went back to the city" Yu explained, his face drooped.

"Senpai…"

"Tell the other me I'm glad he succeeded in helping his friends" Putting away his golden blade, he wiped away the last of his sadness, turning his back.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Chie reached out a hand, grasping at empty air.

"Just because we're not from your original world doesn't mean you have to be alone" Yukiko begged, but he didn't listen.

"I'm sorry everyone but, I really don't deserve good people like you…" Yu stopped, a timeless burden weighing his mind. Maybe this could have been him if he had tried just a bit harder, maybe things might have been different. But then he heard someone pierce through his gloomy heart.

He stopped in his tracks.

"What are you doing you retarded shit?! This is your only chance to ever talk to them again!"

His eyes widened, "Akira?"

"He has a point. This place may be strange, but it still doesn't change a meeting between friends" Blake stood beside the dark faunus, the two appearing seemingly out of thin air.

* * *

"GAHHHHHHHHHH he fainted!" Ruby squeaked, running up to Minato, who had suddenly dropped to the floor, his head smashing and breaking the concrete below, no similar to collapsed house of bricks being dropped from above.

"Whoa is he ok?" Yang gave him a light tap.

"Yang! He dropped dead to the ground! How can this be?!" Ruby cried out in with her most dramatic tearful performance, clutching the bluennette's hands.

"Are you ready for round 35, sibling tag duo Ruby and Minato?!" The disembodied announcer shouted from the sky.

"Can't you see what's going on? Of course not!" Ruby then pointed to the mountain pile of bodies behind her "Besides, isn't this enough? We've been fighting everybody we've come across like you said. There hasn't been a keystone on any of them!"

"And here comes your next opponents!" Soon, another pair, this time a short haired blonde along with a dazzling redhead charged at the hooded girl, who sent them both reeling back into a pile of broken rock with one swing of her gigantic scythe.

"I'm sorry I over did that!" Ruby shouted to the two, who quickly recovered from the carnage. However, just as they were about to move again, Ruby took a step forward and managed to send a stunning shockwave that slapped the tag team flying again. "Ok, this time I'm really sorry! I was only going to check if you were ok!"

"You sure you dunno where that wild strength came from Ruby?" Yang sheepishly backed away, leaving her younger sister and her half dead brother on the ground.

"Yang no! Don't leave me! I don't want to fight with an unconscious Minato on the ground!" she had no idea what gave her this destructive power, she promised she would never wish for super strength ever again. And was sure this world had something to do with it.

"You knocked him out in one punch…" The blonde scooted back, sweat leaking down her back.

"It was on accident! I only tapped lightly tapped him on the shoulder! Honest!"

"Persona!" Within a moment's notice, two powerful enetheral entities rushed at the petite girl, causing her to spring into action once again by gracefully avoiding their many spells, while she readied her rifle in the air and shot at the deadly apperiations, completely obliterating both with a single bullet.

"Can you two stop it?!" Meeting blades with the redhead twice her size, Ruby harshingly swung her scythe head until the older women faced down the gun barrel of her riffle and without much time to react, she forcefully dispatched a round into her face, exploding her to the floor.

"Mitsuru!" The blonde from before gasped, hurrying over to her downed partner.

"Ms. Aigis, Ms. Kirijo! Are you both alright-?!" Then, a third figure emerged from the ruins, this time, seeming like an exact copy of Minato.

"What even is going on…?" Ruby wanted to cry, it was just too much.

"You...you hurt Mitsuru" Ruby felt the blonde from before now burn with new determination, an overwhelming ocean of rage consuming her while she brought a new clear card in her palms. Ruby felt her nerves tense and her heart beat slow to crawl, for she knew something big and powerful was coming-

"Wait, wait Aigis stop! My neck feels broken"

"Wh-what?" The ASW looked down, finally now realizing she had stepped on something, something trashy "No...could be?" Just as her anger had surged so abruptly, it had soon dissipated in the same amount of time.

"Yea, could you uh, get off of me?" Minato perked up, "Showing off my kinks isn't exactly what I want in front of my family"

"M-minato? She whispered, low and soft, staring longingly at the boy on the floor. If she could cry, tears would have long since dripped from her eye.

"You...know her?" Yang said confused.

"Aigis please, we must cease conversing with the enemy" Mitsuru clenched her head, cringing at the blow she had just endured, only to be pierced emotionally through the heart a few moments later upon seeing the bluennette.

"Oh hey Mitsuru. I see you've developed some kinks of your own" He eyed her combat suit, a sly perverted smile spread across his face.

"H-hhow can you say that…" He could hear her voice crack through his groggy state.

"Gosh, this is such a weird dream" Minato put a hand to his chin, it was too bizarre to be reality after all.

"We fought for you...we wanted you to feel at peace…" Mitsuru whispered, unable to contain her emotions anymore.

"Mitsuru" Aigis comforted the women.

"Ms. Kirijo, may I ask what's going on" the other bluenette stopped halfway, seeing the older women squeezing the life of a familiar face from afar.

"Ack! C-can't breath!" Minato's struggled in the women's gasp, it was even more potent than Yang's bear hugs.

"O-oh! Please forgive my sudden outburst. It's just that…" She trailed off, unable to form proper words, her face cherry red from the hot tears streaming down her face.

"Ummm, it is ok if we ask who are you Miss?" Ruby and Yang stood over the group, now feeling a bit awkward.

"Y-yes of course. I apologize for the misundering from before. I am Mitsuru Kirijo and this is Aigis. We were both apart of a Shadow execution team known as SEES, along with your brother" Mitsuru explained.

"Wait, does mean that you guys are both Minato's friends from his old world?" Yang mused out loud, so these were the people he fought alongside with.

"Old world?" the short blonde piped up.

"Well, Minato did say he was somehow reborn on Remnant" Ruby added.

"But his soul…" Aigis thought back to that ominous golden door in the void, was there really a chance he had somehow been freed from that eternal prison. "It can't be…"

"My what?" Minato stared nonchalantly, seeming clueless.

"Your soul. The last we met you were…" The redhead was unsure of how to explain, something felt off.

"I believe what Ms. Kirijo is trying to say is that your soul was sealed away to stop Nyx, cousin" Minato's look alike finally said, showing as little concern as her counterpart at the situation.

"N-nyx?" She saw his face crease, his body shudder, and his eyes dilate. Soon enough, he dropped to the floor again, foaming and gurgling white froth from the mouth.

"Ah! Big bro! What's wrong?" Ruby shook his limp body up and down like some kind of broken vending machine, but then, she saw his hand reaching into empty space, his pupils drawing a blank. From where she was, she could hear him mumble all sorts of indescribable things. "Y-you! What did you to him? And why'd you call him cousin?!" Close to sobbing and red in the face, she glared daggers at the second bluenette who had retreated a few paces back.

"B-because we are…" The other bluenette concealed her face, pulling her hat down, "I assure you that what I said before was only a mere explanation" Ruby didn't seem to care, in fact she had forgotten the serious part of their conversation altogether.

Feeling more and more uncomfortable, the smaller bluennette found herself retreating further and further into her clothes while the other girl sized her up, puffing her adorable cheeks in the process.

"W-what?" Sweat dropped from the bluennette's face.

"When I was six, Minato helped me finish my entire grade school homework packet!" Ruby childlessly spouted. She saw the other puff up as well.

"A-and?" The bluenette composed herself, fixing her coat, "When he arrived at our manor, he used to offer to take my place so grandfather wouldn't notice that I was missing from my studies!"

"Oh yea?" Ruby squeaked, feeling a similar intensity radiate from the other girl's eyes as fiery blue met molten silver, "I remember him making me all sorts of sweets and chicken soup when I came down with the Grimm flu for an entire week!"

"We used to sneak out of the house and explore the city till dark and he would always take the fall for me when we were caught!" The bluennette yelled back, looking less and less refined as their little argument went on. Her proper blue hair began to resemble Minato's messy fringe and her voice rising several octaves.

"I've lived with him for my entire life!" Smirking a wide ear to ear demonic grin, Ruby went for the grand finish, her stance widening as she placed both hands on her hips in a confident show of dominance.

"Well I-!" She felt a strong chill behind her, the cold touch of metal was mere inches from her back.

"I promised that I would remain by his side for forever" Aigis said darkly, her robotic hand threatened to gun down anyone in her way. However, she was also interrupted.

"I believe you all may made a grieve miscalculation," Mitsuru spat, her rapier gripped tightly in her hands while a wave of ice spread to coat the floor, "He promised we would have an immediate engagement ceremony after our graduation!"

"WHAT?!" All in participation song in a choir of shock and anguish.

"No, that is impossible Mitsuru. Minato proposed to me first" Aigis said adamant, placing a hand to her chest, a firm frown plastered on her savage look.

"M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-arriage?!" Ruby slumped to the floor, tears leaking out of her eyes in defeat.

"What has gotten into me…?" the younger bluenette clutched her head in shame, only to notice something yellow and blue dart from her peripheral.

"Hey, you there! Stop!" Aigis shouted, seeing Yang carrying a half dead Minato and dashing maddly for the hills on the other side of the world.

"Artemisia!" Mitsuru was engulfed in a whirlwind of azure wind and spinning glass, forming a glinting armored beauty above her, puffs of icy fog spread among the rubble while the redhead jumped on the mighty persona and sped off.

"Yang come back he's mine!" Ruby's unsheathed her scythe, transforming into a spiraling energy of crimson rose, dashing forwards in a never ending chaotic spin while breaking anything that came into contact, blazing a trail as she rushed after her sister. Meanwhile she was followed by two other blurrs that steadily tailed right behind with a bluenette riding a winged persona next the blonde who looked like she was sitting atop a grand Roman chariot.

"All of you are crazy!" Yang stepped to the side to avoid a blast of ice coming her way and then back away at a set of energy explosions made of fire dust that just so happened to land in her path while she tightly held on to her brother's body. There was no end to this raging hell of wrath from the sky, the land ruptured, rocks blasted open, rivers destroyed in one blow, and any man made structured crumbed at the merciless onslaught of four raging goddess from the heavens.

"Hand him back this instant! Isn't he your brother?!" Mitsuru shouted from above, wind constantly blowing into her messy red hair.

"There's no way I would someone like you near him!" Yang fired a few rounds of her own, although not to hurt but to boost her body forwards into a constant state of propelled motion as the red hot dust sent her flying into another part of the world.

"What about me Yang? Shouldn't we all go home together?" Ruby uncurled herself from her cocoon in the sky, riding on the rifle part of crescent rose as the constant momentum from bullets from the back knocked her entire being forwards in a rocket like fashion, her cap flatley maddeningly in the air.

"Ruby! What is wrong with you?!"

"There's is nothing wrong with me!"

"Hama!" Ruby could see the bluenette from before load a few bullets into her pistol, her eyes were akin to a hawk's locked onto her prey in the distance. And alongside her, the iron maiden from before unloading an eternal bombardment of bullets that littered and leveled the land below in a hellish shower of metallic rain, wiping away all visible landmarks and terrain.

"Give my cousin back now…"

"Target engaged, proceed to lethal elimination mode!"

* * *

"So you guys have no clue what's going on either?" Yosuke scratched his head in frustration. Ever since their meeting, a large gathering of colorful characters had assembled into the ancient building. Its ghostly chambers echoed the many concerns and complaints by the distressed group.

"No. We were all forcefully pulled here just like you" Akira crossed his arms, hiding apart of his pink apron, ignoring the odd eyes of a certain bleached haired blonde. The boy's dark feline ears twitched ever so slightly at the unpleasant attention.

"May we ask we're you all are from then? It's rare to meet people from other worlds" Yukiko chimed in, shifting her gaze from one strangly dressed person to the other on what appeared to be an alternate version of one of her friend, a cat eared male, and a dark elegantly dressed girl.

"We're from a world named Remnant" The girl spoke up, "Do all of you come from a place called Japan?"

"W-wait you know where we're from Ms Blake?!" Teddie tried to edge ever so close to the faunus, only to be pulled by Chie, who had been keeping a sharp eye on the drooling moscat.

"Didn't I say I was from Inaba too?" Yu sighed, making everyone even more confused.

"Before any of you ask, yes, me and him somehow ended on Remnant too and it has nothing to do with what we're experiencing now" Akira explained, already feeling an air of disbelief wash over the meeting of people.

"Hmmm I feel like I've heard of this phenomenon before…" Yukiko mused, "What was it called again? Where the someone gets transported to another world? Ishika? Iseka?"

"I think you meant Isekai," Yosuke faceplamed, "man and I only though this type of stuff only happened in bad animes"

"Nice to know I'm living every man's dream" Akira rolled his eyes, now feeling a searing amount of tension between him and the nervous blonde. "What do you want?" He sharply addressed the male in the back who jumped from his stern call. Dark eyes pierced through the crowd.

"U-uh" Kanji froze, not akin to a deer caught in the headlights.

"Speak up, staring at random people isn't normal" Akira could make out a bit of pink on the other's face.

"Akira, that's...Kanji. He doesn't mean any harem, really" Yu stepped in between the two.

"Y-yea! Senpai's right! I didn't wanna start a fight or nothing'. I-I just really like that aporn!" startled, Kanji choked out the few words that had clogging his throat for a while.

"It is quite cute" Blake chuckled, also turning a slight shade of pink.

"A-and uh, those cat ears! A-are they real? I saw them twitch earlier and stuff too" Unknown to the rowdy boy, such an innocent question earned him a slight disapproving look from Blake.

"Yea, and they're annoying as hell too" Akira spat.

"Can I touch them-"

"No"

"Come on Akira. You let me do it all time" Yu begged, now with puppy dog eyes, "They're so fluffy and adorable"

"That was for an apology only"

"Then what about that time during chemistry?"

"Another apology"

"Library?"

"Apology"

"Wcdonalds?"

"Apology"

"Yu, if he doesn't want anyone touching then it's his choice" Blake frowned, her tone becoming increasingly annoyed.

"I'm sorry but who are you…?" Blake paled, then shifted her gaze slightly to the side to find two almost identical Yu's. Aside from their clothing, there were virtually almost indistinguishable.

"How did-!?"

"Don't worry Blake," she felt someone gently pat her on the back, "I too fell to their cunning disceptions" Weiss closed her eyes, clenched teeth and furrowed brows signaling her sad defeat.

"B-but there's two of them" the dark beauty stared in awe.

"As if one wasn't enough…" Akira rubbed his temples in a throbbing headache.

"Hey, you're me from another world aren't you?" The Yu dressed in white spoke up, addressing the other with an air of longing and curiosity. Staring an exact copy of himself, every little detail on his face matched his twin's.

"Another world you say? I guess I could say the same for you. Is that girl over there with you?" the other Yu in the school uniform turned to the snowy heiress standing among her friends.

"Yea, and these are your version of my friends aren't they?" The heir smiled at the investigation team.

"Mhm. I just hope we all get back together safely. This world's been a real mess so far and nothing's really making much sense" the high school student sighed, hours of pent of frustration threatened to boil over from his mind.

"Wow, for meeting an alternate version of himself, he sure is calm" Chie cocked an eyebrow, still processing her current reality and the idea of parallel worlds.

"Never mind about that! I'm more interested in that new dazzling snow white beauty!" Teddie's pupils transformed into bouncing pink hearts as he motioned and danced his way, spinning and floating as light as a feather to the Weiss, offering her a dazzling red rose and the most pretentious kneel and bow as possible. "Oh Ms snow angel! Will you please kindly accept my-"

"Sorry bear, but as nice as that sounds, I'm already taken" She saw his fall from grace, face meeting the floor in a glorious faceplant of the century, his entire world shattering before him.

"B-by who?!"

"Him" Weiss gestured to her Yu, it was surreal to see two of them in one place.

"Sensei! How could you be so cruel!"

"Yea teddie?" Both Yu's responded, eerily in sync with one another, each replicating the movement of the other, similar to a mismatched mirrored reflection.

"N-nevermind!" The bear paled at the twins, retreating back into the crowd at the creepiness on display.

"Anyways, let's cut back to the problem in our situation" One of the Yu's spoke up, choosing to address the entire group, "Everyone, we need all of you tell us what you know. We have to find a way to get out of here altogether"

"If you're asking about the keystones, sorry partner, but so far we come across any of them" Remembering back to what the voice said, they had only one way out of here and that was through the collection of four magical stones.

"You mean one these?" The Yu held out a glowing yellow diamond, it gently levitated in the palm of his hand, its subtle golden glow lit up the room in its faint ghostly light.

"W-whoa how'd you get that?" Chie observed the small rock, amazed by its otherworldly properties "We've been looking here for ages"

"That's the thing, not even I know. It was in my pocket when I first arrived" The Yu in the high school uniform explained, closely watching the reactions of the people around him. Faces of shock, relief, and even astonishment filled the halls.

"You mean you have one too?" Both Akira and Blake lifted their hands to reveal two diamonds with a strikingly similar appearance, ablebit artificial differences in color.

"Purple and blue. How did you get them?" Akira saw his own Yu walk over, his voice a low whisper matched by an unkind scowl on his face.

"By following the rules of the tournament" Akira sneered back in the same manner.

"Don't worry Yu, we have a plan," Blake tensed, cutting the persona user off, "We know we're not the only ones that need to get home" She felt the taller male peer into her soul, scrutinizing every bit of her word, then she relaxed as he backed off.

"You better have one" With a tap to Akira's chest and one last threat, Yu turned back to the crowd with a faint smile, "We're willing to cooperate with you guys if you're ok with it"

"Thanks, that'd be a great help. Now we just need to find the last keystone" His counterpart smiled back, although he found the quiet exchange between the three odd.

"Since this is a tournament like the voice said, I wouldn't be surprised if the last keystone was guarded by someone extremely powerful" Yukiko pandered about the possibilities, "You know, like one of those video games" Could there be a final boss as well?

"Shit, don't say it like, you'll only be making things more complicated" In some ways, Yosuke knew this was reality, yet deep down he also wished this would all be a dream. He pinched his cheek for the fifth time.

"Maybe we should leave this area for now. If someone else truly processed the last stone, we should be the ones to catch them by surpise" Weiss suggested, earning a few nods and murmurs of approval.

"So it's settled then?" The Yu in the school uniform spoke up, "No objections right?" No one spoke, rather the entire area was filled with an approving silence, yet another noise decided to take its place.

"C-crap!" the ominous howl of several stomachs reverberated against the desolate halls and bounced off the many ancient columns, converting the sound into calls of a haunted choir of hunger, hindering the movements of several of participating individuals.

"Need...meat!" Chie protested, refusing to move from her spot, her body glued to the marble flooring.

"Now that I think about it, we have been stuck here for several hours" Yukiko was in a similar state of starvation.

"Yosuke! I'm hungry!" Teddie complained, faking tears of sadness, hoping and praying the Junes employee could materialize some food from thin air.

"H-hey! Do I look like I carry around a walking inventory with me?!" Yosuke shot back, offended. He refused to be demoted to a walking storage closet.

"Akira, do you remember that curry we made early? I know this isn't the right occasion but, do you think we could share some with them?" Blake pleaded, it was better than nothing.

"Yea, I'm sure they'll enjoy it a lot" Yu piped up eagerly, his eyes flashing with a suspicious amount of enthusiasm with billions of bright tiny stars twinkling from inside his silver pupils.

"A-agreed! I'm curious to try some myself!" Weiss's smile was wide as it could possibly be, uncomfortably reaching the limits of her face, while her entire body stiffened ever so slightly at the mention of curry.

Akira glanced over at the starving group, giving a deep sigh before reaching what seemed like a transparent pool in the air, carefully pulling a hot sizzling pot of curry, letting its sweet aroma began to proliferate and take over the air in the room, drowning its inhabitants in a heavenly shower of spices and herbs.

"D-does my nose deceive me?! I-is that curry?!" Teddie shot put from the ground, a waterfall of drool rolling down the sides of his large gaping mouth.

"You have one of those portal things too?" to an outsider, it may have seemed like the young man had materialized the pot from thin air, however, to anyone who had known a Wild Card user, Kanji was not the least surprised.

"Hm, does that mean you're a Wild Card as well Akira?" The uniformed Yu asked curious.

"Yes"

"Say our regards to Igor when you get back alright? We do miss him don't we?" The heir nudged his friend, who nodded.

"I've thought about bringing food inside the TV, but never an entire picnic set…" Yu watched Akira set down the pot, while his counterpart proceeded to set up an entire tea party stand, complete with enough chairs to fill a small cafe.

"Good job Yu. One must always be prepared for all possible occasions" Weiss directed the boy, who happily followed along with a kind nod.

"Does this always happen?" The Yu in uniform shuddered, he refused to be someone's pack mule.

"I've been telling him that he's stupid, why?" Akira felt a vein pop on his head, his feline ears twitched.

"Something wrong?" Yu said, noticing the sudden alertness of his faunus friend, then seeing him instantly nab the pot from the table and do twist to the side while the walls beside him begin to shake and crumble at a blood curdling call. Within seconds, a large fissure snaked its way onto the marble, and within mere minutes the section had collapsed in a mighty spray of dust and rocks, sending debris in a hundred different directions followed by a battered looking Yang who had busted in from the other side. Tables flew, chairs uplifted, and the once pristine sheets of linen were cut and ravaged beyond repair among the destroyed pile of marble and furniture.

"M-My picnic table! Yang!" Weiss cried out, face red and raising her rapier.

"No wait, there's no more incoming!" Blake warned, letting everyone else have time to pull away from another strike heading for the stone wall, this time covered in a thick layer of chilly blue ice.

"Yang Xiao Long! Unhand my future husband now-ack!" From the sky, landed a tall rapier wielding Valkyrie, the element of all that is ice and frigid winter cold radiated from her entire form, making her way inside the building, only to be slapped to the side by a crimson caped girl who arrived brief seconds after.

"Minato is my brother!" Ruby announced before being knocked down by what appeared to be a robotic maiden wielding an arsenal of machine guns, barreling all its weight onto the young girl's head, taking her out.

"Minato is the one I must protect from all of you" The maiden said monotone, unknowingly standing in the line of fire, failing to react to a flurry round of precise shots that penetrated her skull, forcing her to the ground in a similar fashion as the other two unlucky victims.

Naoto entered the room hatless, her hair a wild jungle, now almost indistinguishable from her older cousin's. Steady hands matched with a mad homicidal aura, her sapphire orbs trained on the three on the ground in utmost disgust. "And he was my cousin first" She growled in a low guttural growl.

"N-no! You are not getting anywhere close to him!" Yang slapped back, still tightly hugging the unconscious Minato, "All of you are insane!"

"N-noato?" The the two Yu's said in sync, a mixture of uncanny and astonishment oozed from their words. Both their hands reached for their swords.

"Y-yu?" She stood still, she stood vulnerable having finally snapped out of self induced insanity. "T-this isn't what it looks like!"

"Naoto are you ok? D-did they hurt you?" Kanji uttered out in fear, almost too scared to approach her.

"I'm...fine"

"You…" Mitsuru clawed at the floor, unable to muscle up anymore strengthen.

"Minato…" Ruby reached for her rifle.

"Must keep...going" Aigis mustered all her strength.

"Like hell I'll let that happen" Yang retreated further back into the corner.

"I'm his future wife!"

"I'm his little sister!"

"I'm his protector!"

"I'm his cousin!"

"I'm Sho Minazuki!"

"What the-?!" Yu froze, feeling a sudden rush of wind accompanied by a silver katana that stretched only mere inches from his face, thankfully being cut off by a dark gravity defying glyph in the center.

"Yu!" Weiss shouted, running her rapier into whoever had the audacity to attack her partner, yet she was met with another sword, "A-a dual wielder?"

"Long time no see yea Narukami? It's been a while ya know?" Sho attempted to pulled out his blade, but to no avail, "ey, what is this circle? Some kinda new persona power that you got?"

"W-who are you?" The Atlas heir said shocked, enough to make him forget his surroundings entirely. The loose grip on his golden blade threatened to slip from his hands as he felt an intense wave of dread from the redhead.

"You messing with me right now? Don't tell me this is your idea of a bad joke. You promised me we'd fight whenever I'd liked remember?" The new dual wielder became increasingly annoyed, his eye twitching ever so slightly, "Now come on, I've been stuck in this boring world for way too long, fight me!"

"A-actually Sho, I'm Yu"

"Huh?!" Mouth agape, he saw another Yu walk out from the crowd.

"H-hey! Isn't that the guy who tried to kill us from before!? What's he doing here?!" Yosuke stuttered, quickly arming himself.

"Quick, let's roast him alive!" Yukiko joined in, revealing a pink fan from her uniform.

"H-he tried to kill you guys?" Blake picked up her gun, also jumping into a battle stance.

"Enough with the empty chit chat, fight me already! And erase this stupid looking paperweight in the air, it's pissing me off!" Sho felt a hard pain radiate from his head.

"Stupid looking?! Paper weight?! I'll let you know that that's the proud Schnee family glyph! Learn some manners you savage mongrel!" Weiss raised her palm, hitting him again.

"Ow! What was that for girly?!"

"That was for trying to impale my boyfriend!"

"Your boyfriend-OW?! And who the fuck are you?" This time, he felt his entire head snap to the side in a forceful slap, seeing a raven haired boy standing only a few paces away.

"You don't deserve an answer you lowley ass monkey" Akira said with a pleasant smile, a ruined face of purple colored chemical waste and what appeared to be the remains of a metallic pot in his other hand. Sho swallowed hard, his body stiffened, his muscles tensed, yet he did not feel an urge to fight like facing down any other, instead, he fought back the urge to shake at this monster's mere presence. There was something wrong, oh so terribly wrong with the boy in front of him that this feeling managed to pierce through even his thick skull and into the depths of his basic survival instincts, gutting them from the inside out and tearing them bit by bit until there was nothing left but the primal fear for his life.

"Oh…?" Robotically rotating his head, soon he spotted the spilled guts of a cooking pot and what resembled nuclear waste sprayed artfully across the floor between him and the floating glyph.

Akira slowly crouched down, picking a gleaming red gem hidden in the mess, speaking not a word.

"D-don't just i-ignore me like that!" He tried moving his free hand, but it too was glued down by another glyph.

Inspecting the small stone, Akira silently stayed on the ground.

"Andddddddddddddddddd Bingo!" Everyone stopped in their tracks. "Congratulations on finding the last stone kid, that took way longer than I thought!"

"You again" Weiss sneered, hearing an ear grading voice boom in her head.

"Awwww did you guys miss me while I was gone? I was surprisingly absent this tournament you know?" Suddenly, the crimson red in Akira's hand started to emanate a blinding glow. It was closely followed behind by its three other color variations, all consuming the group in a powerful blanc light.

"Guys...I have a bad feeling about this" Teddie shook, already feeling a massive spike in power from the waves of white showering the crowd.

"What are you really planning to do with these stones?" Blake yelled out into the void. The world was being consumed by the light.

"Well, well, seems like someone's eager. But since my purpose has been achieved for a while now, I guess I can tell you" The ground came apart, the ceiling crumbled, and the fragile strings holding up the world severed, scattering it into a thousand mini realms as everyone braced for what was to come.

"Naghhh!"

"Gahhhh"

"EKKKKKK"

"Behold! My true form!"

Clouds obstructed the land as far as the eye could gleam, coated in an ominous red light that reflected from the sky above. The bare heavens being spray a rusty bloody crimson as a massive multi-colored diamond like structure leviatted in the sky. Mammoth spikes of red, blue, purple, and blue protruded threateningly against its sick backdrop while a savage voice boomed from every corner of the world.

"I'd like to think each and everyone of you for helping! Those keystones don't collect battle data by themselves after all! Well...maybe not all of you, but you get the point enough" The behemoth descended from above, now hovering ominously in the void, dwarfing any opposition in sheer size and power.

"I knew something was off! " Weiss raised her rapier.

"Now the tournament setting suddenly makes sense. You tricked us!" Yu crushed a clear card, the tailed of his uniform lifted at the sudden force of energy.

"Ding! Ding! Did you all really think I'd you off that easy? There was no way I'd send any of you back. I mean, I doubt you'll even have a place to go after I'm done" The announcer chirped, hiding a sinister undertone.

"N-no place to go back to?" Teddie's voice cracked.

"Hey! Don't tell me you're gonna destroy our worlds!" Kanji blasted a river of electricity at the alien machine, yet it had barely any lasting effects. "What the-!?"

"There's no way we're going to let you destroy our homes!" The Atlas heir shouted, unsheathing his shining blade in an instant, fire, hatred, and guilt all in iginiated in his molten silver eyes. A clap of white hot thunder surged from sky accompanied by a thousand beating drums, drilled its way into machine, however, it too became absorbed into its mass.

"Hahahahhaha! Is that really all you've got? From your battles, I'd say you'd pack more of a punch. Perhaps I expected a bit too much. Since none you can actually touch me, how about sitting back and watching the fireworks show hm? Moving into other worlds can be really flashy and fun!"

* * *

"Dammit, stupid paperweight- oh!" Stubbornly trying to free himself, Sho collected all his strength, stepping back as far he could to break his binds. Then he was suddenly go. Falling backwards, he tumbled and landed on hard concrete and within seconds he saw silver flash only a few centimeters from face. "What's your problem dumbass?!" He tilted his head up to see a messy blue fringe. "Naoto was it? You still mad about the 'me wanting to kill everybody thing'?"

He saw the bluenette nod.

"Come on, I thought we were over that. Just ask Yu" From the back, he could hear countless powerful spells being unleashed. Claps of thunder and explosions trailed the sky.

"My name isn't Naoto" One bloodshot silver eye shown through the dark blue fringe.

"Then the what the hell do you want?" Sho's hand fumbled on the concrete, feeling for his baldes.

"I overheard the girls over there...they said some interesting things about you" Minato flicked away a yellow beam headed straight for his head with a single hand.

"Huh?"

"Another Tartarus, shadows consuming the world, getting rid of SEES, you know, typical tea party stuff…" Minato tossed his sword aside, an eerie aura forming around him.

Sho grabbed his dual swords, springing up and delivering a cross slash which the small bluenette intercepted with his bare arm. "But you know what pisses me off the most?"

"I'm not that person anymore dammit! Why does everyone keep shitting on me for what I did!?" A familiar anger surged up from within the depths of his heart. Sho maddly slashed at bluenette, ribbons of red started to appear all over Minato's body in a chaotic barrage of swordplay. However, he did not move from his spot, instead, taking the deadly onslaught head on while a massive amount energy gathered around both of his hands until they began to resemble two cylinder like blades with golden halts. His once dark blue hair faded to a dead white, holding up one of his newly formed swords with a rotating blade, he rammed it against his opponent, who quickly summoned a dark hand to block.

"There can only be one shit eating dual wielder in this fic!" Taking a heated fire ball to the face, Minato clashed blades with Sho once again, who this time, smirked a mad manic grin at the challenge, a torrent of red and black cyclone shooting up from the earth and parting the heavens.

"Hhahahahahahah!"

* * *

"Is that Minato?!" Weiss twisted around, her long ponytail flattered in the breeze, hair covering parts of her face in the long fight. Hearing a distorted laugh and seeing a shockwave of crimson and dark wave spread across the sky, she could barely make up two shapes in the air.

"I am the dark messiah!" Sho blared to the world, ramming his head against his enemy's.

"I am the Fallen Messiah!" Minato brushed aside his white fringe, charging his twin Ea's.

"Ignore them! We have bigger issues here!" Yosuke called, then turned to side "And why aren't you guys helping out?!"

"We've been talking out our differences!" Ruby said, holding a large half empty bottle of champagne. In total, there were five girls seated at a freshly made picnic table full of expensive alcohols.

"I acknowledge that Minato belongs to all of us" Naoto hiccuped, still without her hat.

"Agreed. We will all share him equally" Mitsuru passed the bottle to Yang.

"Gah! Why did I even ask?"

"Watch out!" Blake knocked the Yosuke to the side with one of her guns, barely missing a yellow beam that threatened to incinerate him whole.

"Thanks, that was really a close one" The brunette summoned again, having his persona deliver a succession of green tornados at the floating mecha. Seeing many more people do the same, Weiss fired off a bullet of ice which merged Yu's, Yukiko launching a flaming phoenix, combining powers with Kanji's shower of sporadic thunder, all headed for the world devouring monster pushing each and every attack launched.

"Hey, it is me or is someone missing from this mess?" Yosuke narrowed his eyes, everyone was accounted for but one, and when he spotted a black spec in distance, he instantly knew who it was.

"A-akira?!" Blake called out, noticing a humanoid shape sluggishly make its way to the mechanical menace.

"What is he thinking?! No one's been able to even get close to thing!" Yosuke saw Yu join hands with Weiss, attempting to bridge the gap between the machine in a coat of yellow lighting, quickly be dispatched by a heavy bombardment of colorful light beams.

"Wait what…?" Blake saw the black shape tank a similar blast, a godly ray of death spawned in its path, engulfing it whole, her eyes widening seeing the figure survive absolutely unharmed from the assault.

"Ouch! That really hurt! You guys are so cute! Awww that fireball was adorable!" The voice echoed for miles and miles, beating back any resistance.

Akira, still covered in a thick layer of gross curry slim, stomped his way through countless showers of death, slowly made his way to the top of the cloudy peak. Teeth clenched, knuckles white, and his face a wrathful image of rage and disgust. Huffing and puffing, he stomped way closer to the floating monster, raising one hand and slammed it down on one of its many protruding spikes.

"GAHHHHHHHHH" There was a significant shift in the atmosphere as one of its appendages were liberated from its form.

**Boom **

Another

**Boom**

Then another, until it was only left with its core.

"W-what are you?!" the machine finally screamed, petrified.

"Do you know how long I spent on that damned curry?!" Akira smashed the machine again, cracking the stones attached to it.

"C-curry!?"

"Don't you fucking lie now you son of bitch! You were the one who ruined it with that shitty stone of yours weren't you?!" Akira growled, his voice growing increasingly demonic.

"No, no! It wasn't me I swear! I have nothing to do with this-ack!" He smashed one of its rings, "The stones were only there to record battle da-! GAHHHHH!"

"I said quit lying you disgusting bitch! I spent weeks getting the right materials and look at what you did! It was going to be prefect! What the fuck do you have to say for yourself huh!?" All those days spent crafting the perfect recipe, all those times spent experimenting for the right brew, all ruined. Obsidian wings sprouted from his back as a faint blue glow emanated, morphing into a growing cocoon of black, gaining more and more mess as time seemed to accelerate at infinity. First it was two large horns, then a row of three wings on either side that selfishly projected themselves as far as the ever expanding sky. A rush of pent of energy finally erupted, shooting out a cascade of azure flames that shaped itself into the final form of the figure, a grand modern military grade rocket launcher set ready to go off at any moment sat on the demon king's shoulder.

"What is that…?" Blake said, mouth agape.

"Did he evolve his persona?" Yu watched in awe, lowering his weapon.

"I said it wasn't me!" The voice cried in desperation. Somewhere in the crowd, a heir and heiress shuddered.

The mega persona copied its owner, lifting its fist, following Akira's example and punching a deep hole in the machine's side, rupturing a pile colored stones and spilling energy to flow out in a strong current.

"I'll beat you! I'll fucking beat you so hard that it'll send you to a world so goddamn awful that not even god himself wouldn't touch!" Another blow, exploding its left side. "I'll show you to mess with my cooking!" Throwing down a rapid succession of punches at impossible speeds, Akira then jumped onto his new persona which raised the launcher in its hand, the missle spinning faster and faster in its claim to an absolute blood bath. Light gathered igniting the inside, heat surged from within its dark demonic depths as all noise in the world became drowned out by its gigantic engine.

Akira blinked and then shouted.

"SATANAEL! SINFUL NUCLEAR ORBITAL BOMBARDMENT!"

"But that's not even a moveeeeeeeeee!" And in that moment, everything faded, leaving not a trace of anything or anyone behind…

* * *

Low murmurs of a distant crowd fizzled and faded in and out of existence, gradually taking over his voided surroundings, gradually pulling him from a fizzy dream. Soon he began to see, and soon he saw himself standing among a tall concrete jungle. Completely invisible and unnoticed by the world around him, he saw people seemingly pass by at accelerated speeds and cars rolling across vast connecting roadways as far as his eyes could take him. To his left, a row of family owned shops, and to his right, recognizable brands lined the dense city blocks in an ocean populated by hundreds of anonymous faces. It all felt familiar somehow, he thought to himself, eyeing a decaying skyline of washed out colors and monochrome gray, among the distorted rain clouds.

Then heard a voice.

"Akira?" In that never ending stream of pedistrations, one girl stood out against the rest. Long flowing dark hair and cat like eyes, Blake tugged at his sleeve, wearing an alarmed face of distress.

"Blake, are you alright?" His body responded robotically, without his input. He saw her shake her head, worried eyes laced with a deep sense of panic filled her mind. Feeling like their awkward had lasted long enough, she reached up to her obsidian bow and pulled, revealing nothing underneath. "My ears...they're gone" She said, her voice a weak whisper.

"W-what?" Akira reached up to feel his own head, only to find nothing but a tuft of raven hair, just like his old self back home. However, his missing ears were not his only source for concern, as he looked down to see a long purple tie neatly hanging around his neck atop a white dress shirt, covered by a striped black jacket. Directing his attention to Blake again, he noticed a similar dress pattern, although she had swapped the tie for a large orange bow and striped mini skirt. "A school uniform?" He mused to himself. One that wasn't Shujin's at that.

"Do you remember anything after we left Beacon?" He watched her in surprise, did she not remember their fight against that abominable machine? He suddenly clutched his head in a cold sweat, feeling a sharp pain pierce his being. A-are you ok?"

"Yea. Sorry, didn't get much sleep yesterday" She raised an eyebrow, but he ignored her questions about his bodily health. Now that he remembered the events that mostly likely sent them here, he concluded that it was most likely his fault.

"Didn't I tell you pulling all nighters was a terrible idea? You need to stop overworking yourself" Blake scolded, completely forgetting about their new predicament.

"How about we take a look around first, we're in an unfamiliar area and have no idea what's going on" He ignored her, he ignored her without mercy.

Blake glanced at the area around her, feeling the place to be extremely alien, "Do you think we're even on Remnant anymore?" From the ancient concrete towers to the wall-less fronts that would have shielded it residence from a deadly Grimm attack, the city they were in now seemed way more peaceful. Not to mention the stark absence of faunus from the crowd.

"Most likely not," Akira gestured to a group of girls near a cafe, "See those big block Scrolls they're holding? Those were apart of my world when it was still developing technologically" On closer inspection, he hasn't spotted one touchscreen in the sea.

"Your world?" Blake's eyes widened, "Does this mean we've somehow been transported to your home?" Astonished by the prospect, but also a bit excited to finally visit a place she was always curious about, it made her conflicted at what to think.

"Not quite. I know my mine was destroyed a long time ago" Akira picked up a folded newspaper from the ground, "This place just so happens to be similar" the date was inked clear as day in big bold letters: August 3rd, 1999.

"No...no, no. This can't be happening, there's no way we've-" Before she could ask anymore, she turned around in alert at a new forgien presence.

"Ciao!" A cheerful woman in brown greeted, followed by her companion, who seemed to be logging around a large camera. "I'm Maya Amano from Coolest Magazine. Are you two perhaps Seven's students?" Maya chirped, catching Blake by surprise, causing her to take a step back.

"Sevens's…?" The women pointed to a small emblem on Blake's jacket.

"Yea, we just arrived in Rengedai and were making our way to your school. Oh, are you two skipping class by any chance?" The cheery reporter lowered her tone to a whisper, an excited grin graced her face.

"No, we're transfers and this is our first day. We just got lost in the city" Akira stepped in, using a reharshed line from long ago, one that he had practiced with a certain frizzy haired blonde.

"Mhm. Me and Akira are from the same place" Blake quickly added, playing along.

"Awww I was hoping a good scope too! But we can show you to your new school if you want. It's not far from here actually" Maya took out a marked map of the area, a school circled in blue among the jungle of steel and concrete.

"That'd be really helpful, thank you" Blake gave a faux smile, following the journalist.

"So we are you two orinigally from? How'd you like your old school?" Maya once again went off like a machine gun, bombarding the two with hundreds of unanswered questions, being stopped several stopped by her work partner.

"We're from Tokyo. We attended a school called Shujin"

* * *

"Hhahahahahahaha!" an uproar of laughter shot up from a doslate battle ground of broken buildings and destroyed earth. A madman rose above a shelter of dirty sandbags and graffitied wall, leaping high into the air to smash down a head that was right below him, letting the body tumble to the ground, doing a spin in the air, kicking one of his legs in the air in a counterclockwise motion to catch another in the gut with his nailed bat. "Give it up undie boss! This turf is mine!" Minato roared, a few more bodies being blasted out from the of a side building with a fiery blond descending rapidly into a pile of soft sand, breaking her fall.

"Looks like they're all 'down' for the count" Yang clapped her fists together, letting all the bodies drop to the floor, a sunny grin spread wide across her face. She then barely dodged a lead pipe to the head, catching the metallic wrath in one hand instead, halting her attacker.

"And you'll be next!" Sho swung with his free hand, while Yang yanked at his caught arm, making him lose balance, kicking him in the gut, before tossing him into a pile of wood.

"You dirty traitor! Why the hell are you working with that guy anyways!?" She cringed, slinging her obsidian uniform on her shoulder.

"Hah! Some boss you are dipshit! What's a good leader if he can't even keep his own men inline!" A tall boy in copious amounts band makeup and spiky blue sneered, carrying a massive guitar cause.

"Ohohohoh! That's rich coming from a guy who's only claim to fame is pantsing people to death! Shut it pussy, unlike you I fought my way to the top! Hahahah, too bad that blue dye of yours isn't authentic either, just like your title as gang boss... " Minato brushed his caped jacket uniform, proudly displaying Seven Sisters logo.

"Why you little!" Eikichi dashed after bluennette, instantly connecting blows head in an explosive fight to the death, a large shockwave expanded from their battle ground, picking up heavy amounts of litter and dust in the rubble. "I'll pummel you into the ground you little shit midget! You didn't fight to the top! You practically bullied everyone in the entire goddamn school to do your bidding!"

"So what? They all like me!" Minato crushed a blue card, at the same time, Eikichi materialized a god like presence behind like, it's engine roaring to life.

"Damned Sevens…" the taller boy cursed, seeing his opponent laugh at show of force.

"Come Thanatos! Bow to your new king!"

* * *

"Can you check this one for me?" Weiss sat along a neatly organized table in the student longue, a long desk piled up in countless stacks of event and contract papers.

"Sure" Yu opened up a vanilla envelope, purging its content onto the desk.

"Looks like our budget has been cut by quite a lot this year" His twin said, crunching the numbers, pen in hand filling in the current year's budget.

"No worries. I'll pull a bit from my own savings to balance out the lost income" Weiss pulled out a small checkbook, "How much was it again?"

"Six thousand yen"

"Hmp, my weekly salon visits cost more. Put down three million yen and write it down as a generous donation from the Schnee oil company. We won't be out done by Kirijo over at Kasugayama" The snowy heiress huffed, puffing her cheeks in a childish manner, slamming her hand on the table.

* * *

"Six million!" Mitsuru announced in a council room just across the city.

"Are you sure that will be enough Mitsuru?" Aigis sat along a row of other students.

* * *

"Eight Million!" Weiss dug her pen into the checkbook

"How about we relax a little after student council" Yu suggested, putting away any more work to be done throughout the day.

"I'm with my brother, a tea break would be nice after all this paperwork" His twin slumped in his chair.

"Mmmm, I'm feeling Vintage Narcissus today, what about you two?" Weiss began to pack her bag.

"Tieguanyin for me"

"Yellow gold tea, it's the one I always drink.

* * *

"Aiyah! Can you believe it? Those idiots in the student council are going to turn this entire school into a damn castle by the end" a fair haired blonde strolled along in the hall with two other girls by her side. A clear vein showing on her otherwise prefect face.

"Lisa, is that really a bad thing? Ever since Weiss took over, the quality of the cafeteria food has skyrocketed! Who knew the school would have its own five star chief!" Chie ate from a pile of prime rib and stacks, all stacked onto a small thin paper plate.

"Not if she clearly seems like she has a bone to pick with that Kirijo. It's the only reason any of this is even happening. They're just trying to see who'll come out on top in their stupid bitch fight" the blonde cursed, irked by the sudden transformations to her school, and to the people around being caught up in the heiress vs heiress crossover fire.

"Hmm, I wouldn't worry too much if I were you," Yukiko walked along with the rest, their group of voices growing ever so distant in the school, until they completely disappeared down a deep stairwell. And in that empty area, hid a petite girl in red, holding a small gift box in her hands. She conceled herself among the shadowy corners of the hall, until she saw him passing by. Raising her head, she approached the figure with a smile, reaching out her hand to signal for the boy to stop. Slowly he turned, a tall brown haired student wearing his jacket in an open fashion, showing his purple tie and white dress shirt underneath.

"T-tatsuya? W-will you go out with me?"

* * *

And somewhere in the wide, wide world, Akira screamed.

Because for his innocent sin…

He now must face his eternal punishment.

* * *

**Hoho that was the longest most clusterfuck thing i've ever written so far. 13k words is insane for me. I can imagine an entire new fic spawning out of this with the places it could go too. Pft, In the end, Akira was right, he did beat the announcer to a world no god would ever touch, problem is he's now stuck in it himself too. I wonder if he could meet his past self as a kid if he tried. I know BBTAG is supposed to be a 4 way crossover but that would have been way too much to write so I decided to focus on RWBY and Persona like always. Ruby's overpoweredness took out almost the entire cast anyways. **


	9. PACT

**Author's Note: Hey and welcome to the official chapter 8 of this fic. It's been a while, but thankfully this chap updated in time due to it being winter break. I'll be going back to college next month so the next updates might be slightly delayed depending on how much school work I have. Anyways let's onto the replies shall we?**

**Combine117: Haha Minato drives everyone around him crazy, it's the truth**

**Emoprotagonist: Weiss is going to have to answer to both her dad and sister about that and Yu is gonna be caught up in another clusterfuck as per usual. That's IF all the girls agree Mitsuru should be his wife, I can't see them all seeing eye to eye on that one. Yes I loved that curry pot scene too, I originally had a segment where Yu and Weiss cried while hugging each other seeing Akira's persona nuke the announcer knowing that that was supposed to be them in her place. Hhaha thanks and I hope you enjoyed your New Years too, pft I can only dream of making that chapter canon…**

**Raychii521: lol have you seen how the three act? They would bully him to death, even Yu would bully him. This story was built around the idea of a three person team.**

**As always please review and tell me your thoughts**

* * *

**PACT**

The sound of hard chalk rhythmically beat against aged black board, shaving off vague specs of dust as it trailed across plain obsidian, steadily pulling the inhabitants of the room into a studious, methodical trance. Many eyes glued to the center of the room, where often they would be introduced to their topic of the day. And today was no different.

Professor Port stood proud and tall, his posture straight, and one hand making complicated motions across a fully diagrammed board, gliding across large swaths of information outlined in the lecture.

"Ah, this section will be focusing on a whole new different type of Grimm! I remember my first encounter with these humanoid like beasts! It was the end of autumn and my team were called in on a scouting mission" He posed like he was holding a two handed rifle, triumphantly shooting at the empty air "And then that was how I managed to take down their entire army with one precisely placed shot!" He failed to catch the attention of many of his students, instead, all averted their gaze to the digital clock.

"Ugh...how long is this gonna take" Jaune groaned, planting his head squarely on the desk, his arms wrapped around his face while his notes where brushed carelessly to the side.

"Psssst, Jaune. Look at what I made" He gazed over to see Nora showing him a poorly sketched picture of their professor, earning a small chuckle from the male. However, no matter how much he tried to relax, he found himself always ending up in the same corner of the room. Slowly his eyes drafted to a silently seated group of four. A girl wearing a large black bow sat ideal, staring into space, her actions closely being mimicked by her companions. All notebooks empty, all faces white as if watching a spectator only they could perceive.

"Jaune, are you alright?" He felt Pyrrha edge closer to him, a similar air of concern not too different from his own graced her fair features.

"Y-yea" he responded unsure himself. The classroom was less populated than usual.

"Have you noticed too?" The Mistral champion watched the four, "They've been acting like this for a while now" Pyrrha whispered, now hearing the sharp ring of the school bell which sent the entire class into a wild stampede out the door.

"Do you think something might have happened? I haven't seen Minato and others either" Lowering themselves behind the desks, they saw the Professor approach Ruby, handing her several packets of notes and a pat on the shoulder.

"Quite possibly" The redhead saw Blake and Weiss file out with the rest of the bustling student body, leaving only the two half sister behind.

"Ruby, it's ok. It's not your fault" They heard Yang, but only vaguely in the empty classroom.

"B-but I promised-!" Ruby's voice broke, yanking at the fabric of her skirt.

"And you did. You made sure he didn't do anything stupid by himself" Her older sister said rather stern.

"Should we leave…?" Jaune mumbled, the situation was now getting uncomfortable.

"I feel that is for the best" Pyrrah replied back, quietly lowering her body even more among the desks to avoid detection.

"Still...I wonder what happened" Jaune mused absentmindedly to himself, feeling a strange heaviness overtake him. Crawling under the row of wooden desks, he carefully maneuvered his way across the room to the entrance, however, just as he was about to reach his goal, he heard a sudden pop come from the direction of his right hand, gluing him in place.

"Who's there?" Yang twisted around and snapped to attention. Jaune quickly pulled back, revealing a stray pile of potato chips left by the last of the tables in the classroom. Soon, he registered heavy footsteps stomping his way and he felt Pyrrha yank him up from the floor and into the light.

"H-hello again!" He saw her awkwardly wave at the irate blonde with a nervous giggle.

"Hey guys, long time no see!" Jaune stuttered, imitating a similar tone to his partner's.

"What are you two doing here?" Unlike her usual cheerful self, there was no warmth in her voice.

"We were uh, picking up some stuff we left behind!" Jaune scratched his head, his eyes darting to his forgotten notebook two rows down. "Yep! I left my notes, need them for the exams you know?" His act only worsened the aura around the already agitated blonde. She opened her mouth, but was stopped by her younger sister.

"Yang, I don't think they're here to make trouble. Jaune and Pyrrha are our friends!" Ruby held her sister back, trying to be the voice of reason.

"We're sorry if we overheard anything we should've have" Pyrrha said, softening. The pale circles around the eyes of the two siblings were enough for the redhead to be more than concerned.

"Yea! We were only worried about you guys…" Yang held onto to her stubborn nature, forcing the blonde to explain further explain himself "Ever since Monday, you, Ruby, and everyone on the team seemed really…"

"Sad? What about it?"

"Yang, stop it" Ruby urged, "How is pushing everyone away going to help?"

"So dragging more people into this mess well?"In that moment, Jaune witnessed the most pain stricken face, a face that should never have been worn by such a young girl. It was as if she had lost something, or rather been betrayed by someone precious in her life. Confusion and hurt written across her very soul.

"Yang, please calm down. We won't ask you to talk about this", Pyrrha begged, "Especially if it's something you don't feel comfortable sharing" But then she halted, a strong chill cooling the blood in her veins. Sharp hot daggers pierced through deep pools of green, even as the top among her peers, she could tell the animosity from the blonde was deadly. Silently, lilac orbs meet bright emerald, and after one more glare, she heard a loud thump and Yang speed out the classroom door.

"Guys, I'm sorry...it was my fault" Ruby sniffed, her tired expression seemed to draw a blank at her sister's abrupt departure. If only she had just known more, if only she hadn't bothered with his investigation.

"No, no, Ruby, it's alright. I'm sure she just has something on her mind" Jaune assured, taking a seat along with the rest, being the only three that remained.

"Jaune it's not that, I…" She stumbled, looking down at her lap, unable to articulate even the simplest of words, feeling a cancerous lumps spread from her throat, stopping her entire body. She made no eye contact, only mumbled as if talking to herself.

"Again, it's ok if you don't want to share with us" Pyrrha said worried, comforting her peer with a gentle hand on her shoulder. It reminded her of her childhood days in Mistral, where her mother would do the same.

Ruby slowly lifted her head, a whirlwind of thoughts flashed all so quickly across her dull silver eyes, then she began to speak "Jaune, Pyrrha...what if you did something, and you know it's your fault?" she had failed to protect him, in fact, she had hurt him in the end.

A growing sense of discomfort creeped ever so slightly up his back. He carefully searched for the reply "Then I would...try to apologize for what I did, no matter what everyone else thinks".

"T-then what if they don't listen? What if they don't accept your apology at all?" Ruby sat still, her voice only a soft whisper among the quiet of the large lecture room. Remaining unheard among the absent masses.

"Ruby, Is this about Minato…?" the Mistral champion watched the young girl turn, eyes wide, mouth agape, vague indication of tears forming on her cheeks.

"We noticed how him and his team were absent for these past few days" Jaune said worried, the lights in the room dimmed ever so slightly, letting them sit along a row of shadows.

She nodded, "If I hadn't done the thing I did, he wouldn't be in the hospital right now…" Ruby curled up in her seat, wrapping both arms around her legs. She had the image burned into her mind, a pale bluenette lying unconscious in a white hospital bed. And no matter how much she tried, he would always ignore her calls. It brought up a certain memory of her past, a memory of visiting a certain grave stone, in a certain forest.

"Hospital?" Pyrrha almost jolted from her position, a hand covering her mouth.

"Am I a bad leader?" Light fell away from her face, "I called my team to help, but we ended up only causing even more trouble in the long run" looking away in shame, she sought to hide away from the world, a world so cruel to wipe away any last remnant of humanity.

"No you're not!"

Ruby lifted up her head, startled, meeting fierce green eyes in sea of monochrome. "Pyrrha?"

"I may not know what happened, but I can say for sure that you did the right thing" Standing noble with pride, the redheaded warrior offered a helping hand, "If I saw my peers in trouble, then I wouldn't have hesitated to call friends for help"

"B-but I"

"Pyrrha has a point. It'd be bad if you left them alone actually" Jaune added with a soft smile, becoming mellow himself.

"And it's a good thing you came too" A sharp voice echoed through the deserted classroom, a flood of light engulfed the empty darkness, illuminating a familiar smirk in its wake.

"M-minato?" Ruby sat in place, unable to move from the shock, feeling her body completely freeze of what might be a realistic illusion. Behind him were a few others that she came to recognize, the comforting silhouettes of her teammates and friends.

"We were wondering where you went too. Do you know how long we had to look for you?" Weiss snarked, standing next to a recovering Yu.

"Sorry we kept you waiting" Blake filed in along with the rest, followed by Akira.

Gingerly, she felt someone nudge at her shoulder "You should go, we'll be right here" Pyrrha whispered in encouragement. Warm hot tears streamed down from her cheeks, her eyes shimmering like the many brilliant stars in the sky. The two older students room sat and watched her transform into a torrent of red, speedily charging into the smirking blunette, ramming him into floor, crashing into the tightly assembled crowd at the entrance, kicking up waves of accumulated dust from the carpet.

"Ow!"

"Watch it!"

"Ek!"

"G-get off!" All bodies hit the floor at once, forcing everyone into one large dog-pile while the cries of a certain girl traveled beyond the distant halls of the school.

"Minato! I'm so glad you're ok!" Ruby tightly wrapped her arms around the boy, rubbing her soaked and reddened face against his own, "I-I was so worried that you'd never wake up!" Wrecking her mind for words, there were so many things she wanted to say, but what came out was only a broken string of mesh mashed sentences.

"Ack! You're squeezing me…" Noticing how the rest of his face was a similar shade as his hair, his younger sibling let go.

"Umm! Uh, Sorry about that…" Ruby let out a nervous giggle, lightening her death grip, eventually letting go.

"Maybe try to hug him normally next time" Akira dusted his pants, fresh from a faceplant on the school carpet. When she finally came to her senses, she saw the mess she had made on the floor, but it only made her chuckle.

"Hey, what's so funny about me landing on his face!" Weiss puffed up, moving away from Yu, who remained unaffected by the accident, a smile plastically plastered on his face.

"No one noticed until you brought that up Weiss" Blake teased, the Faunus giggling ever so slightly at the sudden yelp coming from the flushed heiress. This only made Ruby laugh more.

"S-so what's so funny about this anyways?!" Weiss raised and stomped her foot several times, "T-they just woke up, shouldn't you be-"

"I know Weiss" Wiping away the last of her tears, Ruby faced the group with her a cheery grin, "But we haven't had time to relax like this in a long time, it's just...I wish we could do this more often"

Everyone tensed, yet there was silent agreement among all that were affected, with expressions ranging from relief to deep contemplation colored across the group. Then, two new shapes emerged from the hallway.

Carrying an old coffee cup in one hand and his staff in the other, professor Ozpin appeared with his loyal secretary at his side. "Although there is a time for play, I'm afraid we'll have to shelf those plans for now Ms. Rose" His tone was grave and devoid of life, already finishing his previous batch of coffee that hadn't even cooled to a drinkable temperature. The wispy smoke and aroma from the brown liquid wafting inside into the dark classroom, where he gave an understanding nod to the two bystanders, before dismissing Ruby and the rest.

"Professor Ozpin…? Is there something wrong?" Jaune stood up, his tall figure obscured in the blackness.

"Mr. Arc, Ms. Nikkos, please don't mention any of this to the others"

* * *

Countless feet collided against marble flooring, ushering in a line of students into a geometric juggle of sliding blocks and cube like towers as far as the eye could see. Lines of glowing white ran across every surface and cut into the many corners of the box like arena, forming a futuristic battle ground. Hot golden dust clouds boomed from the ceiling of the matrix like room, forming in fast zig zag like patterns, exploding and taking down countless towers threatening to smash into its master, as a bright yellow figure blazed across the entire setup, igniting upon hundreds upon hundreds of dust rounds that fell from above like shooting stars, spewing a shower of hot volcanic fire.

"Is that Yang?" Ruby narrowed her eyes, peering at erratic golden dart above, her head practically shaking from side to side to keep up.

Ozpin nodded, finally seeing the blonde leap from a close tower, her landing forming a miniature quake that rocked the entire floor, her eyes bloody red from all the action. Only the older man remained completely unphased by her sudden appearance.

"Minato Arisato! I challenge you to a dual right here and now!" Yang raised her hand in a dramatic gesture, pointing at the bluenette to step out forward. There was an unexplainable rage radiating from her aura, screaming a thousand unspoken questions and dialogues.

"W-wait! What?" Weiss furrowed her brow, "I thought we were here for explanations"

"Sorry Weiss, but this needs to come first" Yang snapped, bumping her fists together, sending an excess wave of fire to repel everyone back.

"Are you sure about this Ms Xiao Long?" Glynda offered her the last chance to back out, before, setting up a see through barrier between the bluenette and the bystanders.

"Trust me, I'm more than ready!" Yang huffed.

"Is this really a good idea?" Blake whispered to Akira, who stood wordlessly to the side, barely even paying attention to the two figures in the distance.

"She wants to prove herself. There's no stopping that" The male Faunus replied back, now leaning against a wall. They both watched Yang shot off a barrage of rounds at her older brother, who remained in place, the bullets barely inching him backwards.

"What are doing?! Fight me!"

"No, I meant going up against Minato" Blake clarified.

Minato blocked an oncoming blazing fist of fire, heading straight for his head with his bare hand, causing the girl to lash out again.

"See how he's looking at them?" Akira gestured at their headmaster, who was keenly focused on the aggravated sibling pair behind the barrier. No longer did he hold the aura of a normal man"It was partly his idea to have them fight, Yang only needed a small push after her outbursts"

"No…" Blake mumbled, yet the more she saw Ozpin's calculating eyes, the more she began to unravel his professional persona. It was like he was a completely different person from the one they've known. His sharp and focused features more resembled something akin to the king of Vale than it did a kind old headmaster. "Why he want them to fight? Especially like this"

"Easy, to test out that idiot's real ability in combat"

Running at the bluenette again, Yang delivered a flurry of punches by going for a right hock that was easily avoided by the other then followed by a side knock that was supposed to nail him on his cheek, only to be dodged again as the persona user lowered himself in a fraction of a second that would have been difficult for even the most hardened professionals to perceive. Transforming into a sonic fast blue blur, the brawler felt something slam her to the ground in one brutal collision that managed snuff out half of her aura and bounce her entire body against the cold pavement.

"Eeep!"

"A-are you ok?" Minato found himself hurrying to her side, alerted by the sudden flicker of her golden force field. "That's enough, you're going to hurt yourself-" Kneeling down, he tried to reach for her hand when he felt the force of his own power send him tumbling to the floor a few paces away. Not only did he fail to check her vitals, he was also with an enraged golden fireball reflected in the vision of her silver eyes.

"Why do you always hold back like that?!" Yang flared up again, a tint of red invading her once pure yellow energy. "Am I not strong enough huh? Can't I have an honest match with my own damn brother?!"

"Yang please, I don't want to-"

"Hurt is that right? Hurt me? Well you sure are hurting me right now Minato!" She charged at him again, leaving a sparkling tail of explosions in her wake, a thousand words unspoken and an infinite well of emotions bottled up from their time as a family. She drew her hand back and feinted when she saw him raising his guard, drawing him in for a moment before she retracted her fist and instead smashed her forehead against his with a loud crack, catching him with full force and off guard. "All this time I thought I was catching up to you! All this time we trained together as a family and I thought I was getting somewhere. Did you think I was that weak?!" She smashed his body into a row of cubes, completely obliterated the remaining towers with her human punching bag.

"Ms Xiao Long, that's enough!" Glynda shouted, shaking at the Aura trackers in her hands. By absorbing just one blow from the blunette, Yang was able to take her brother's Aura meter to a low red.

The brawler remained silent.

"You are going way too far!" Weiss called out, but was ignored like the rest.

"Is is really necessary to beat him all the way?" Yu reasoned, his hands edging closer and closer to his katana.

"Sis, please stop it! It's not Minato's fault! He had to hide from us for a reason!" Ruby begged, her hands clawed at the invisible well, banging and crying against what seemed like the protective barrier separating her and the rest of her family "It was to keep all of us safe!"

"Garudyne!" Suddenly, the air started to shift showing specs of green energy swirling in the atmosphere, swiftly forming into a cyclone that tore at many cube like structures in the arena, consuming them into the raging green whirlpool. Feeling the wind knifing into her Aura, Yang held onto the side of a tower to avoid being sucked in. Her messy golden mane danced in the wild winds, being tossed and flying in multiple different directions as it harshly obscured her vision. Similarly, the airlifted parts of dress, barely preventing the girl herself from being thrown inside the deadly vortex.

"That boy! What is he thinking!?" Glynda's grip grew tighter and tighter on her tablet, her breath growing more shallow at the sight of Minato's Aura gradually dropping lower and lower until it reached a blood chilling zero percent, letting out a sickening crack from within the savage vortex of racing winds. Without much more time for consideration she desperately pleaded with the headmaster, who appeared still appeared unphased, sharply gesturing at the ground with her hand "Ozpin, I demand you release that barrier right now-!"

"Hold it Glynda, the real fight's beginning right now" Akira stepped in, blocking the instructor from interfering any further.

Slowly the wind dissipated, fading from a frightening tornado to a chilly present breeze, revealing a dual sword Minato with a confident grin on his face.

"Good, now let's have a proper fight" Yang cracked her neck, taking a stance that reminded the blunette of a certain silver haired boxer. "I'm going to show you that me and Ruby can protect ourselves!" Going for the head start, she blasted off using the power from her gauntlets, riding the motion forwards while Minato threw himself ahead with a green wind lifting him by his feet. Quickly, with a burning passion in her deep red eyes, each accelerating at each other, each getting closer, until both readied for their finishing blows. Yang narrowly avoided an oncoming slash, yet her ordeal wasn't over because soon her eyes were blinded by a hundred more when she tried to deflect his singler strike. Refusing to give in so easily she continued to push her luck resulting in a couple more clumsy futile collisons, forcing her to dance around deadly metal and charged fire. Her muscles screamed, her body ached, and with only bare adrenaline carrying her through, she could take no more and made one fatal mistake of not noticing a red blade barreling down from above, knocking the wind out of her lungs and downing her in the blank of an eye.

"Yang!" The crowd blared out from the other side of the wall, a choir of voices ringing in her ears. However she paid them no mind, instead, she looked to a blade hovering above her eyes.

"Hey, we could keep going if you want" She could hear someone say, lifting her head, she was greeted by a genuine smile. The moment felt surreal. In all her years living with family, she had never seen him display such a calm expression. No more smirks, no exggaerted grins, no stupid gags that would usually drive her up a wall. For the first time, she was seeing a real part of Minato, a real part of someone who had hid who he was for years. Wordlessly getting up, she squeezed him in a tight tearful hug.

"Thanks, I needed that…" She blurted.

"Sorry for lying to you guys for so long"

"It's alright. I'm over it"

"Are you sure?

He felt a hand slap across his face "ouch.."

"Of course I'm sure. And from now on, we'll protect each other as a family"

"What?" He earned another hand "Ek!"

"You aren't alone anymore"

* * *

"So where should we start?" A row of people stood among a collection of gears, each component moving ever so slightly, recording each second in the passage of time. Once again they were all lead back into the headmaster's office.

"When we're done mopping the floor" Minato said, twirling a wooden mop in his hands.

"Get back to work!" Glynda slapped her wand harshly against her hand, "Next time you two should think harder before batting under such extreme circumstances! Purposely depleting your aura to fight? Are you out of your mind?" The women ranted on without taking much time for breaths, her face as red as the rage in Yang's eyes from before.

"He proved he could fight without it ok?" Yang plunged her mop into the water.

"I have will have this office spick and span by the end of the hour! You two are lucky I didn't have you clean out all the classrooms instead!" While Glynda lectured in the back, the others could be seen preparing the room, from closing the blinds to opening up a holo projection screen.

"Isn't she being a little too hard on them?" Blake said to their headmaster, who watched from afar with a kind smile.

"Don't worry, she does this because she cares" He earned a frown, "I'll have my turn soon enough".

"Can you actually connect these two?" Yu curiously eyed three ancient looking laptops, laptops from old brands he recognized.

"Of course not. It's too outdated" Akira connected his scroll to the projector "But I've managed to salvage some information and transfer it over"

"If only Microsoft could talk with Marcosoft right? I can't imagine how much technological advancement our world might have had if we brought back some of Remnant's achievemnets" Yu chuckled, finding it hard to believe he had been born to this world's equivalent of Bill Gates.

"Tough luck doing that. The feds would probably eat all that shit up before you could do anything" Akira scrolled through a section pictures, letting it fully manifest on the holo screen, earning a few gasps of amazement.

Being projected proudly into the air, rendered the world map of an otherwise alien world, a world much larger and diverse than their own. Starting from vast lands of North American, to the more carved up lands in the East, the map was littered with mysterious markings and hundreds of kingdoms.

"Are all those labels for each separate kingdom?" Weiss gestured to the many bold kanji displayed on each land mass, ranging from large swaths of territory to miniature states the size of the city of Vale. The amount of diversity between the borders was a surreal astonishment along the countless colorful flag designs for each nation. Some displayed simple patterns, mean while others had emblems, or intricately designed animals adorning their space. It made her open her eyes to the infinite possibilities of what could be, or how insignificant humanity was in the grand scope of what seemed like an endless possibility for words beyond her own.

"Yes, unlike Remnant we had over one hundred nations" Yu pointed to the map, directing the attention of everyone to a small string of land in the east, "This is the country of Japan, where all of us originated from"

"Wow, imagine a Vytal between all of them," Yang joked. The thought of hundreds of nations all participating in one big sports tournament both racked and excited her mind.

"We didn't exactly fight, but I guess we did have something similar to the festival" Minato recalled, feeling mellow "It was called the Olympics, where each country would come together and win various sports competitions with their best athletes"

"So who won the most recent one" His sister imagined herself competing as one of the contestants, being watched from potentially millions of from the alternative universe.

"There were two countries that stood out, China and the United States both won the most medals out of every other nation" Minato labeled which country was which on the map, showing the US in the west and China in the east.

"What? No, it was Russia that topped the charts along with Great Britain" Akira eyed the bluenette as if he had gone insane, "We are talking about 2008 yes?" Both him and Minato exchanged bewildered glances.

"No way, my was family closely following the Olympics that year, the winners should have been Germany and Japan with the most medals" Yu protested, throwing the room into an awkward silence.

"Perhaps you are all correct" Ozpin sipped from his drink, his words turning several heads. "You all did claim to come from a different world other than Remnant" It only took a few seconds for the realization to dawn on all three, each of their faces being thrown into a different level of shock. Soon Akira sprung up from his seat.

"Quick, tell me who was your prime minister in 2008" The raven haired boy asked, no demanded.

"Taro Aso" Minato said confidently.

"Takashi Yoshida" Yu crossed his arms adamant.

"Makoto Kaname"

"Does this mean all of you also come from different worlds?" Ruby jumped into the conversation.

"That would make the most sense…" Yu gazed from one Wild Card to the other, now it all made sense. All three of them had come from separate, but alternate realities. However, it was the realization that they all could have succeeded in one of their potential respective timelines that pained them the most, the guilt stabbing unforgivingly into their hearts.

"Then is there a possibility of your abilities varying from person to person?" Gynda questioned, "I would also like to know how your previous worlds relate with your current abilities"

"Yea, each summon so far seemed exclusive to one person" Weiss had memorized the unique form of Izanagi and Thanatos. The differences between the two were night and day.

"How about let's answer one at a time" Akira slide to a blank screen, drawing out a small diagram with his fingers, showing two stick figures, labeling one Remanant and then other Earth. "In a way you're right that our abilities differ from each individual, as each of us has a different 'persona' to begin with"

"Is that the given name of your powers?" Ozpin chimed in, noticing the symbol for Aura and the soul on the Remnant figure, and the same thing for the Earth drawing, except Aura was replaced by a second figure floating above the first.

"Yes, and each soul from our world is capable of summoning one if they met the right conditions" Minato added, "You could say it's similar to Semblances where you have to unlock them"

"Fighting without an Aura…" Glynda mumbled in hesitation.

"But Personas do make up our lack of Aura and Semblance with a similar effect. As a Persona user, it makes the summoner far more resilient than a normal human" Yu explained, "Additionally, some spells can give you added protection in combat"

"For those spells you mentioned. Since the White Fang already appeared to wield some form of these magics, is there a chance they could replicate your more support based abilities? Healing? Protection? So on?" Ozpin hoped and prayed his enemies didn't achieve the upper hand. "Moreover, you three retained your Personas when you transfered over to Remnant, could there be a likelihood that Remnant based souls may obtain a 'Persona' as well seeing all three of you were able to generate both a Semblance and an Aura?" The thousand year old soul scrutinized the three, not one movement escaped his keen eagle like eyes.

"I'd say yes to both" Like his headmaster, Akira returned a similar chilling sentiment, "Theoretically both could apply. Items that mimic our healing and protection can exist with the right entities offering their help"

"Personas come from the sea of souls and our Shadow selves. I wouldn't be surprised if Remnant had a sea of their own" Yu stopped, seeing the countless looks of confusion, "Back home, every soul had a shadow, basically the deepest and darkest aspects of a person they refuse to accept. Personas in this sense are a tamed version of those shadows manifested into reality"

"And since Remnant souls also have a lot to hide too, it's likely you all have shadows of your own as well" Minato closed off the explanation.

"Can you tell us how you awakened yours?" Blake shifted her gaze to Akira, wondering how someone like him had managed to tame his 'Shadow'. If it was supposed to be the deepest and darkest aspects of soul, then she wanted to know how to face that part of herself. The part she had neglected for years as she ran from her responsibilities.

"I'm curious as well. Summoning something like that out of the blue must have taken a lot out of effort" In a way, Weiss could relate, yet it was more of her semblance than anything that she had asked.

"Yes, please do Team MAY. Maybe this could help advance our operations in the future. I would also like to hear your thoughts on these entities you mentioned" Ozpin sipped from his cup. However, instead of receiving an answer right away like before, he noticed all three at his last words.

"We...had no other choice at the time" Yu searched for words, yet his mind began to draw a blank. If only any of them had a say. If only they had the option to back out.

"It was either do, or die" Akira averted his gaze, allowing a moment of vulnerability to shone through for the first time.. Blake was sure she saw a sad memory flash in his eyes. Out of all three, Minato was the most silent, a lump gathered in his throat while he struggled to keep his broken form.

"Minato…?" Ruby sat the boy down along with her older sister, gingerly patting him on the shoulder.

"These poor kids" Glynda glimpsed from one boy to the next. At first she thought she'd found their keys victory, but now it was clear this great power came with an astronomical amount of baggage. Her heart tightened. Why must they allow children to go to war? Why were all of them so welling to throw their lives away without a second thought?

"Yu, it's ok if you don't want to talk more about it" Weiss saw him visibly shake, concerned glances were traded around the office, as if asking if it was really ethical to keep going.

"No, Weiss, I'm fine…" Yu take in a deep breath, an ocean of sadness threatening to overwhelm the Wild Card, yet this was not the time to stop yet. It was his mistake after all, a mistake he aims to not make again.

"We can exchange sob stories about this later. What matters now is that we deliver the information" Akira turned to his leader and then back to the headmaster, "Ozpin, it is alright if we left him out of the next part of our explanation?"

"That would be for the best Mr Kurusu" The thousand year old man saw the bluenette practically crumble before his eyes. Although the others remained oblivious, he was sure the distressed aura he gave off was the sign of a haunted soul. In fact, it somewhat reminded him of his own. Haunted from years of witnessing death and trauma, unable to finally rest in peace for his all his work.

"Akira, back then when we talked…" Blake carefully picked her words, "these entities you mentioned now, could they be the gods you talked about?"

She saw him quietly nod.

"Gods that can assemble their own armies, and mess with humanity. I won't be surprised if there were using the White Fang for their own gains"

"Their own gains? There's no way the White Fang would be deluded this easily. I've seen how they work in the Faunus community" Blake retorted, there was no way that man would let go of his goal this easily. However if he was offered even more power…

"Ah but if their goals aligned Ms Belladonna" Ozpin challenged, his face as cold as ice. "Please, if there's anymore you know about the White Fang, do tell"

"I-I only know one of their most of them are dead set on their goal of wiping out humanity" At her words, she could see both Weiss and Yu cringe. Yet Akira's next words sunk her heart even deeper.

"Remember how I told you how these gods love to bring humanity to its knees? A deal between the two would be a prefect match made in hell"

"And how can you be sure these 'gods' are here Mr Kurusu, Mr Narukami" The old man leaned in, now showing signs of wear on his face, his age now beyond normal human comprehension and eyes miserable from the apathy passage of time.

"The Shadow Grimm" Yu began, "I'm sure Akira had mentioned this before, but their ability to use complex magic can only come from a shadow controlling god. Although we have no idea how they managed to fuse both species together"

"Shadows? Didn't you say earlier that they can only come from souls?" Ruby questioned.

"Alongside Shadows from the soul, there's another type that roams around freely similar to the Grimm. They'll attack anyone aimlessly if encountered" Yu curled his hand into a tight fist.

"I see...so somehow the White Fang managed to obtain these creatures and used them for their own gains. Are there any gods you both may have faced back on Earth that may fit this description? " His question left a thick layer of anxiety in the air. All attention shifted towards the two lone figures standing in the center and as they did, all held in their breaths, and eventually one of them spoke.

"That's the thing...we have no idea"

* * *

"Minato? Minato…?" Ruby gingerly shook her paling older brother, who sat petrified among the bursting elements and hellfire. A stray stream of pure fire scorched the earth a few feet away, staining the once pristine tiles of the arena floor. Without a formal reply, his head bobbed slowly up and down, an unreadable expression on his face.

"We can get you back to your dorm if you want" Yang sat with the rest, an enraged Akira engulfing himself in azure flames just on the other side of the clear wall. A winged shape of solid reds and blacks taking form, springing from the deepest depths of his soul, gathering a dark energy in its hands.

"No, I'm good" He whispered, showing a little of his left eye in that messy tangle of blue that was his hair. "We need all the training we can get. Just bad memories is all...I just need five more minutes" Giving a bitter grin, he slouched into wall.

"Bad memories? Do you mean ones from your previous world…?" Morbidly, the hooded girl imagined what they could have been, yet at the same time she thought it was better that she didn't know. So instead of dwelling, she focused her attention on the fight before her.

"How long have you been these...flashback?" Yang carefully danced on the subject.

"Since I was kid" Drowning in an ocean of solid black, he struggled to catch a few pockets of air before being pulled under again. Each time he tried to squirm and thrash, the bitter taste of iron and shadow would always drag him back in.

There was no one there to help him in that lone, dark sea.

"Then how about you talk about it?!" snapping out of his daze, he looked to sisters, who both displayed equal degrees of impatience, twitching eyes matched by irate frowns.

He opened his mouth in protest in the void.

"Minato, how is bottling all that inside going to help?" Ruby chided bluntly, "You've been holding onto this for years. What would mom say if she saw you like?" Exhaustion, frustration, and worry all passed through her voice. If only the deceased huntress had known about the sobbing boy in the rubble wasn't crying about his lost village…

"I…" he choked on black water, unable to speak.

"You've always been there for us" Yang put a hand to her chest, "Come on, it's time for us to be here for you, like I said, we protect each other as family" Remembering back to those freezing nights where the house was covered under a thick cover of night. Where mother was no longer there despite her cries, she yanked on his arm and in that moment he felt something force him out that cold murky water.

"There's no way we're going to let you suffer anymore!" Ruby grabbed his wrist, together they forced that dreadful ocean to recede, if only for a bit as the three soaked in its stormy obsidian waters.

Speechless, their brother stared wide eyed.

"So please, tell us what's wrong" Ruby and Yang smiled as the small group of three embraced each other.

"Ack! S-s-s-stop it!" Yu thrashed about in a tight choke hold with his opponent's arm squarelly locked onto his neck. His hands aggressively clawing at Akira's death grip while his legs wildly thumped against the floor.

"Not until you admit defeat and take back what you said about my cooking!" The dark faunus clenched his teeth and increased the force on the other's neck, resulting in a surge of lighting coming from his victim.

Yu summoned a bit of his semblance, but it was no use even as the waves of electricity traveled across Akira's body and his own. "Never! The school's cafeteria food is better, shit-!"

"What was that you tasteless shit?!"

"Mr Narukami, I suggest you surrender to this one. Not even I have the power to save you for your fate" Ozpin kneeled down to the heir's level, pretending to pity the boy, a plate of half finished curry in his hand, to say the man was won over was an understatement, "Really, the flavor of this dish is quite splendid"

"I think you let him go this time" Blake stood watching with a deep sigh, next to a defeated Weiss who looked away with a hint of a giggle threatening to escape as she covered her mouth.

"Fine, but he only gets a free pass this time" Akira loosened his grip and set his half dead friend free, who gladly gulped down a massive breath of fresh air, "Be glad I know how to show mercy"

"Pft, I'll you show next time" helping himself up, Yu turned his back and crossed his arms in a faux dramatic display of pride.

"Now if all of you are finished, I suggest students preparing for the semester finals all return to their dorms" Ozpin jest, or rather appeared to. "Remember, it will be coming up next week"

"Our use of this training room won't be officially on record will it?" Weiss asked, checking a sign in page with each team attendance on her Scroll. The list recorded every individual class and student visit starting from the first week of the semester. Hundreds of names were listed, but in the records she failed to find theirs for this particular meeting.

"Correct. From now on, our sessions will be completely omitted from the official school records" The headmaster explained, "Similar to our gatherings from before, all involved will kindly be asked to keep all information divulged confidential"

"That reminds me, what do we tell everyone when we're here?" Blake stressed, "It would be pretty bad if people started asking questions" unbeknownst to most, her shoulders had a light shook that imitated someone being caught in the cold. However, she felt a gentle hand soothe her wandering mind.

"It'll be alright" She heard a familiar voice whisper, releasing a bit of tenseness next to Akira.

"True, we don't really have a good excuse once our finals are over" Weiss frowned. "Studying could be a good guise for now thought. No one would be caught dead flunking their exams this early in the year"

"How about we say it's an after school club then" Minato walked over with Ruby and Yang, a gentle smirk spreading across his face.

"Beacon already has tons of student run activities, saying we're having a club meeting might be a good idea" Yang suggested, noting how a majority of the people on campus regularly attended multiple clubs run by the upperclassmen.

"Our school is known to have the second highest concentration of clubs among the four kingdoms. No one would be interested in a new start up anyways" Ruby chuckled nervously. Before her arrival at Beacon, she had furiously researched the school website from the welcome page, all the way down to their student life activities.

"Hmm, that certainly is an interesting proposal. Sadly it will still be unofficial from the school's perspective. Are you all ok with that?" Ozpin offered, "In addition, we will also use this time to plan our next moves against the White Fang"

"Yea, we can do that. Do you guys think we should give it a name too? It'd be pretty weird if someone asked" Yu mused out loud, opening up his Scroll to the school's website.

"Didn't we just say it's not supposed to be unofficial?" Akira challenged.

"Hmmm maybe it's better if we registered after all. Ah! I've thought about the name too! Let's call it SEES! " Minato put a hand to his chin, mimicking a famous statue, gaining the attention of everyone.

"Are you insane? Calling it that name will only paint big red targets on our the backs if we're not careful" Akira scolded, a serious frown appeared on his face "Not to mention we'll be seen by the rest of the world too"

"Exactly!"

"What!?"

Minato yawned and then lowered his voice, his smirk morphing into a manic grin, "If our enemies recognize that name, then they'll definitely get the warning message. Not to mention it'll fool them into thinking there are more persona users here than there really are"

"May I inquire as to who this SEES group used to be Mr. Arisato?" Ozpin too assumed a similar state of mind, his demeanor growing serious.

"Back home one my friends started up a club called SEES to fight shadows. If anyone aiding the White Fang knew that name then they would drastically shift their tactics against us in the long run. We used to be a pretty sizable group" The bluennette explained, "It's a pretty risky tactic but if we can make them believe us then we really can take them by surprise"

"Wouldn't that make them over prepare themselves" Yu turned to Weiss and the others.

"We'll be fine. The strategy is to use intimidation and misinformation right? I'll say it's even better than hiding ourselves if it means making them panic over nothing. I don't sit well knowing we'll be doing shady stuff behind the scenes" Weiss assured the gray haired Wild Card, "What do you think Professor Ozpin? Shall we execute this suggestion?"

"Blake, Akira, everyone else?" The headmaster's glaze traveled from student to student, gauging their individual reactions.

"I guess it's worth a shot if it gets us one step closer to the enemy" Akira sighed. Instead of going to them, it might be even easier if they came to their home turf of Beacon.

"We're both cool with it" Yang gestured to both her and Ruby, who backed Minato completely, "If anyone comes then we'll make sure to end them quickly"

"No objections here" Yu shrugged, "If it gets them moving, even better"

"Ms Belladonna?" Ozpin patiently waited for the dark haired beauty, instead receiving no reply. Until she jolted awake from her daze.

"O-oh yea! I don't mind" the dark huntress blurted out, having a look of a deer caught in the headlights. The greying headmaster called out again, causing her to confirm her answer.

Pulling up the official registration page from a screen, Ozpin cleared his throat "So, if we all are in agreement, then I will proceed to input all required information" Combing through multiple densely detailed pages of agreements, he typed in his own name into a blank box.

"You're going to be our sponsor professor?" Ruby watched the older men diligently glide through several more pages with his hands, his pupils speedily shifting back and forth consuming the information on the page.

"Yes Ms Rose. There is no other soul in this Academy capable." Finally after scrolling past many more walls of text, his hand hovered above a confirmation button "Since this is a group being formed officially by students, I would like you and friends to do the honors" The older man backed away from the computer, allowing multiple hands to float above the large green button.

"Ready guys?" Yang crowded into a circle of people, all with racing hearts and nervous faces.

"Of course I am" Weiss answered arrogant, but there was something more mixed in with her tone of voice.

"Yea…" Blake placed her hands atop the other two's.

"Let's all do what we can" Yu joined in.

"Whatever" Akira squeezed between the bodies in his way, shoving his arm in.

"If it means saving the world, then it needs to be done" Ruby said nobly, slowly being the last to join.

Everyone pressed down all at once.

In that moment all hearts raced, and all consented to accept their collective fate, whatever that might be in the end. Whether it was to be taken down by the enemy, or coming out on top, in the end, it didn't matter as all who participated would share in a similar ending. And in that moment a strange foreboding, yet hopeful bond formed between all seven individuals.

"Welcome to SEES!"

* * *

"Something wrong?" Dispersing from the crowd, Akira caught up to Blake who halted in her steps. Through the winding halls and confusing layout of the large Beacon campus, he managed to track her down. She turned to face him, wearing a frightful gaze that spoke more than ever about her fears. Although she decided to stay, the pressure was beginning to crush at her mind.

"I...no, not much" She refused to tell, or rather she drew a blank.

"You're still here so that's reassuring. Are the White Fang bothering you again?" At the mention of that certain terrorist group, disurbed memories started to resurface from her checkered past, unable to hold them in any longer. Her ears twitched in irritation behind the safety of her dark bow.

"What about them? We have to stop them at all costs right?" her voice cracked, betraying her front. A hand placed on her other arm, making her look as if she were going on the defensive.

"Not with that fear of yours we won't" All the world slowed to a crawl "You're afraid of what they might do with that power afraid, or even what that god might do to humanity"

"W-what?" She took a few steps back. It was like looking through a mirror, a mirror that zoned in on her greatest fears. How was he able to so easily read her mind?

"Ruby and the others told me back when my team infiltrated the warehouses that it was your idea to botch our operations. At the meeting in the office you were also the one to raise concern on the White Fang again" Akira pushed, his voice remaining both flat and firm.

She flinched, becoming more skittish at each word that left his mouth "Yea, and? I merely grew up around peers supported their cause. It's not hard to know what they're up too. You're in the Faunus community too right?" Feeling her hands tremble, she refused to face her past sins. Yet, the more she wanted to run, the more they reared their ugly heads when she saw him raise his Scroll.

"Blake, I'll be blunt and say this, I don't gave a fuck where you come from or, who you used to be. But please do a better job at hiding information even a grade schooler could find" Daugther of the former leader of the White Fang, the Belladonna family could be minor celebrities in the Faunus world. "I had a feeling I've heard your last name your somewhere. The rest was just some bullshit guesswork from your reactions"

"Y-you did a background check?!" Finally she erupted from her shell, coming out at full force. No, he didn't need to know, no one needed to know. It was a curse that she would forever bare alone. Something she could never come back from. "What is wrong with you? So what if I'm the daughter of the leader of the former White Fang?!"

He put his foot on the ground, "You're avoiding the subject Blake. Like I said, I don't gave a fuck of who you used to be"

"Then why did you look into me?!" She spouted back, her face becoming tomato red and her voice morphed into a desperate cry. A tidal wave of anger crashed against her mind until she was left with only her basic primal instincts, devoid of all rational logic. He was trying to use this information wasn't he? He wasn't going to reject her for her crimes just like the rest of the world where they would all shune her to hell-

"Because I care Blake!" He boomed through the barren halls, his voice was enough to snap her out of her chaotic thoughts. His hair spiked and his ears shot up until he resembled a mad cat, but he suddenly mellowed with sad eyes "Because one day you're going to regret not facing up to your past demons…" Lowering his hand, she got a subtle glimpse at his Scroll again, however this time, it showed a lone boy standing among an otherwise crowded city street. The negative spaces inside felt empty, as if implying something was supposed to be there to begin with.

"Akira…" Blake's amber eyes softened.

"You're right, I shouldn't have dug up your past"

He slowly turned until she was facing his back.

"But please think about this carefully. Sometimes, self redemption isn't enough"

* * *

Dust, layers upon layers of dust drifted aimlessly in the pale light, swaying endlessly in the soup of stagnant air. Books sprawled across multiple ransacked shelves, mixing in with broken pieces of brown wood and other debris that littered the aging storefront, conjuring up the image of what could have been the formation of a cursed cyclone ripping across this singler building amidst an otherwise peaceful city. Destroyed volumes upon volumes of worldly knowledge lay scattered on the darkened floor, some holding the grand mysterious of Remnant, while others detailed more common pieces of information of the everyday, all carelessly tossed aside for their owner also lay so apathetically on the same cold concrete.

Dead crimson eyes reflected in that dull pool of red next to the body, the colors meshing together so well that the young man found it hard to see his own eyes. His silenced pistol still warm from the barrel and a small hint of ghostly smoke danced and weaved in the dark atmosphere, eventually taking on a life of its own in the blackness.

And beside him stood a menacing female figure with fiery golden eyes.

"Good job Goro. Now let's move onto our next target"

* * *

**And there goes Akechi. Vol 2 will be officially starting next chapter and there will be even more crazy crap as our characters unveil what really is going on behind the scenes. As for most of this chapter, I found it extremely hard trying to fill in time before v2 and decided to develop the characters just a little more seeing there was no way I could leave some things hanging, especially with Blake's run away personality or Minato in general. Yang also got some needed polishing along setting the groundwork of the new SEES. **


	10. Fool and Huntress vol 2

**Authors note:**

**Hey guys! Long time no see! Fool and Huntress is back after so long. Sorry for the delay, college ended up being way more busy than I expected this semester, so I had trouble juggling my work along with writing/art. Now this chapter is going to be 2k shorter than my usual goal. I didn't feel like drowning out the main point of this chapter with extra content. Hopefully chapter 11 won't take this long. Oh yea, for those wanting my other fic (Your Things Are My Things) to update, it will come eventually once I get my laptop repaired because its uhh….sorta semi broken….**

**Comments/Replies **

**Sonic: Thank you!**

**Emoprotagonist: Don't worry, Yu/Weiss will forever be a thing pft. Minato would win that battle no matter what. The point of it was so Yang could prove herself to him that she could handle herself and not be protected. Lol yep, they are from alternate timelines. Hahha, there will be more scenes of horrible food jokes since those two love teasing eachother over it. Hmmm as for Akira and Blake relationship? Akira's side i won't say yet but think about Blake's mental state after leaving someone like Adam. She would be extremely closed off to anyone. For Akira...will it's complicated? **

**Combine117: JNPR won't be having as big of a role as they did in the show sadly, but they will be still in the story somewhat. **

**Enjoy the chap and tell me what you thought!**

* * *

**Fool And Huntress Vol 2**

Burning shone in the void, igniting the world in a vast ocean of red. Luminous flames incinerating mangled remains, faces blurred, eyes sunken, bodies quickly fading into charred lumps of ash and cinder. Steel beams and broken earth littered the setting, sealing off valuable contact from the outside world, leaving the victims to perish in this hellish stone oven.

Yet, even in this carnage, a single hand twitched. Smoke filled his beaten lungs, and with his vision a haze, he groggily struggled to escape from these flames. However, no matter how much he tried to move, he felt a heavy slab of concrete dig into his legs. Adjusting his stained helmet and trying again, only to see a thin line of crimson aimed at his face. Mouth ape and confused, he tilted his head up the best he could. What he saw next petrified him in place.

In the distance stood a horned monster adorning a Grimm mask. Multiple streaks of red ran alongside the dreaded white plastic like blood, with a few thin slits giving him the appearance something inhuman.

"W-wait…" He saw his executioner come to a verdict. His vision soon focused and became crystal clear as blood rushed to the rest of his body. His heart beat so hard that it almost burst from his ribcage. A single line of crimson ready to pierce clean through his throat.

"Adam, stop!" He closed his eyes, already feeling a quick breeze travel downwards, but nothing more.

"What Blake? Are you going to sympathize with this human?" The individual looked away. A dark haired woman hurried over to his attacker.

"I-isn't this enough?" He saw her fumble for words, her form had a slight shake to it. "We've raided this entire mine clean. There's no point in being here anymore"

The masked male chuckled, "Blake, Blake, Blake," he sang in a condescending tone, "What do you think would happen if we left these vermin alive?" The flames in the background shadowed his form, giving the illusion of a horned demon.

"No, I mean-"

He cut her off a low growl, "They'll thrive and breed like rats, and come back for us again!" With one foot, he crushed the hand of the helpless human on the floor. A pained screech followed and a blur of steel slashed down.

"No! Stop!" She reached out to intercept, brushing past the male, but was sprayed by a gazer of ruby red liquid, tarnishing her hands in a rain dirty blood. Frozen in place, she fought back the urge to gag, to scream, to run. A never before sensation of imaginary ice jabbed into every bit of her body, weakening her resolve and cutting into her soul. Shaken amber pupils met glowing blue beyond the mask.

And in that flaming hell, a chilling smile slowly spread across his face.

* * *

"Blake…."

"Blake"

"Blake!"

"A-adam!" She squeaked, shutting her eyes, pushing away whoever had held her shoulder.

"Shit!" A sound of a body hitting a pile of metallic bins traveled through the blankless of her mind, it was only then she realized who she just shoved away. Gently fluttering open her eyes, she saw a trash covered Akira lying in between two destroyed garbage cans. "Was that really necessary?" The boy groaned, helping himself out.

"Again…?" She blanked out, clenching her head.

"Hello? Some help here would nice"

"A-akira! I'm sorry, I didn't really mean that!" She hurried over, helping him clean off the debray stuck to his clothes. Embarrassingly tossing away the last banana peel clinging to the male Faunus, she helped him clean up the rest of the mess.

"Why do I feel like this has happened before…?" mumbling to himself, Akira quickly resecured his earpiece and White Fang mask. The cheap piece of plastic also decided to come off during his clash with the garbage.

"Are you...alright?" Blake struggled to maintain her front, trying to avert her gaze at the now masked male beside her. It made him feel...cold.

"Hm? Yea, I'm doing fine" she sighed in relief, but then quickly tensed up again. "But, are you sure you want to go through with this Blake?" She was dreading this question. Ever since their last meeting in the school, she was reluctant to approach him again. This was supposed to be her problem and her's to bare alone.

In the dimly lit alley way, the light flashed on and off as if in hesitation to drive away the encroaching darkness. "I…" Blake failed to meet the eyes of the masked male, "I said before that I would help right? I'm not going back on that promise". The whiteness that illuminated the black started to fade.

"Even if you'll come face to face with your past? Those monsters won't just be any Grimm you can kill" Akira stood fully in the clocked cover of the night, his silver orbs flashed like the small stars that illuminated the cosmos.

"Because Akira, you said I would regret it if I kept running away…" That dream, it reminded her of why she ran. "I won't deny that I'm scared but...there's no way I want them to harm more people, faunus, or humans". What would have happened if she had stopped him in time? What would have happened if she'd realize the type of person he really was in the first place?

She was a part of that group. No matter how much she thought about it, there was literal blood in her hands.

"They kill off faunus who've helped humans in the past, yes? Before Beacon, I've been asked to asked to join their stupid cause multiple different times" Akira's ears twitched, hearing a crowd forming just ahead, "So, are you sure you're ok with faceing enemies that might have made a pact with a god?"

"Y-yes! They don't know what they're dealing with. It's better to have one of their own stop them before they do anything bad with it!" She raised her voice, throwing away her soft persona. After realizing her actions, she retreated back to her shell almost as quickly as she had burst out of it.

Then she heard him chuckle, making her flush.

"W-what? I have to take some responsibility for what I contributed to. Some of those Faunus are just misguided like how I used to be. I can't let them carry the same burdens I have now. The more she recalled her past, the more she realized how people she had left behind. People worth saving.

"N-not mention I keep having this dream…" She paled at the mentioned. Clear beads of sweat appeared on her face.

"Is this about that Adam guy?" Akira remembered her push himself as if he were an enemy.

"Ever since coming to Beacon? I've been ignoring it. However, talking you made it worse" Blake frowned for the first time, glaring daggers at the masked male. "If it weren't for our last conversation, I wouldn't have ever to acknowledge it ever again", then she gave him a small smile, "But I also have to thank you, it was a thing I shouldn't have put off…"

Akira's shoulders jolted, there was both a sense of gratitude but also a bit of malice in that smile "Well uhh..it's good that you took my advice" This time, it was his turn to turn the other way.

"So how about we hurry to the meeting? It's not going to last forever" Before Akira could respond, he her yank his arm and string him along a dark deserted alley. Although the lights had certainly faded, it doesn't mean they couldn't navigate through the darkness, side by side.

* * *

Hundreds of masked humanoids streamed in not unlike a pack of hungry hyenas, howls for the damnation of humanity and cheers for the increasing White Fang presence littered and reverberated across the vast ocean of the room. If it were not for the jungle of censored faces, or decorated uniforms, then the enough would have thought to be any ordinary event, like any other. Perhaps a late night concert operated by a small band, or a sizable party thrown by a few unruly Beacon students, however, the atmosphere of this showing had a clear taint of bloodlust in the air.

People roared with delight, cheering at the unveiling of the crimson symbol spearheading their cause, gracing the once nakes walls were three large gashes that implied to be an animal sinking their hands in flesh, and a canine head with large jagged fangs that was meant to strike fear into whoever stared into its eyes. An uproar of shouts of movement and revolutions once again filled the air, with many openly stomping on and ripping, tearing the flags of Vale and other symbols of man.

"Down with the humans!" One woman was heard chanting, many others following her example. She didn't look even past college age.

"Do these jackasses really think they're better than us?! I've had enough of their shit!" A male screamed at the top of his lungs, his comrades following his example.

"Humans are the reason my little sister can't even get out of bed anymore!" Another desperate shout blared and blended into the uniform sentiments of hate for humanity.

"These fuckers are too loud…" Akira mumbled in the unrest, closely placing his hand to the earpiece.

"_Ugh, you think? Maybe you should I have told us to lower the volume in the first place"_ Weiss's irritation traveled through the speakers.

"_Let's focus on the gathering for now, Ms. Schnee" _Ozpin cut in, "_Not to sound worrying, but this gathering seems unusually sizable , even for the White Fang"_

"That doesn't really matter does it? It makes blending in easier too" Blake replied back to the headmaster. But his comment did unerve her. A sinking feeling had started to emerge from the depths of heart.

"_Say, are the field team ready? Headquarters is relaying the hidden camera footage right now" _Yu said to the others, typing away on a holo screen with Weiss and Ozpin viewing close by.

"_Yep! Team RMY is an all clear!_" Ruby chirped, watching the warehouse close by with the scope of her rifle.

"_If things go to shit, we'll be there to bust them out no problem"_ Minato sat going through the footage.

"_It doesn't look like there's anymore White Fang look outs nearby"_ Yang dusted off her hands, knocking out the last wave of members stationed in some of the abandoned buildings.

"Just don't get too cocky" Akira surveyed the gathering, shifting his head back and forth between the entrance and the stage. For whatever reason, this place gave off a familiar, yet unsettling vibe. It was akin to being in a room with stuffy air, or that of slow suffocation. Coupled with the wild outrage and constant white noise that covered the entire room, it was hard to pay attention to the show itself.

"_What did you say to me?"_ Yang snapped from the other end.

The loudness in her voice made him cringe and raise his shoulders, "I meant to Minato…"

"_Hahaha, what's that supposed to mean-?!" _

"Hey, you alright?" At first Akira heard the bluenette give a playful laugh, but then his voice soon dropped off altogether, leaving a void like silence between the radio channels. Then, an unpleasant vibe had settled on his mind and shattered his composure, he realized the reason for the abrupt cut off. Angling his vision upwards towards the stage, his face began to pale at a omunious green moon projected on the curtain. And as if this weren't enough, he felt Blake clinging to his form at a new arrival that emerged from the gathering.

"Blake…?" He reached for her, seeing the poor girl lower herself as much as she could. Her entire body trembling and her amber orbs tightly locked onto something or someone standing on stage. Her hair slightly lifted up like and her posture arched like a cat's.

"A...adam" Her whispers were close to inaudible.

"Brothers and Sisters of the White Fang!" Adam addressed the audience with wide open arms, "I thank you for gathering here all today"

"_Minato…? Minato?" _Ruby's voice cracked to life once again, albeit in a broken state.

"I'm sure all of you have suffered enough of this despicable world by now" The male on stage broadcasted, earning a choir of cheers and shouts that echoed back his words in an unmatched level of unison. He paced across the stage, directing his hawk-like gaze at the vast ocean of supporters.

"For years, us Faunus kind have faced subjugation, discrimmnation, being labeled as second rate! Brothers and Sisters, I promise you that soon, soon none of this will never have to stand for such human tyranny ever again. But how do we accomplish this you may ask?" Snapping his fingers, he soon manifested a wildfire in his hand that danced to his will no semblance could ever produce. The brief existence of the wild orange mass smoothly morphing into a chilly breeze that swept across the entire area, creating layers of icicles that hung idle in the large warehouse.

Amazement, astonishment, and wonder captured the bewildered crowd, enough to silence the entire audience. Then the man began to speak again.

"My fellow Faunus brethren, please do not be alarmed. As this was just a demonstration of the might of our new power. Behold, we, the White Fang have been given the forces of nature and magic itself. This proves that we are superior and the rightful rulers of Remnant!" Ignoring the growing cacophony of the gathering once again, he gestured to the green moon behind him, a single three letter word being projected onto the empty mass.

"_Yang, Ruby! Take your brother and head back to Beacon now! Me and Weiss will switch with you!"_ Yu's words became frantic.

"Behold, Nyx! Us Faunus have been blessed by a goddess that has been watching over us for centuries. A goddess that fights for all Faunus equally, a goddess that leaves no one behind, a goddess that promises to descend soon down from the sky to exact judgment on all the sins of humanity and construct a new world that will only be ruled by us" He gently waves his hand in the air to form a wisp of green wind, "And today, she has bestowed the White Fang the opportunity to take back what was rightfully ours since the very conception of Remnant"

"_Guys, what's going on?! My brother's on the floor!"_ Yang screamed over a world of loud radio static.

"_Nyx! It's that word that's freaking him out!" _Weiss shouted back, a strong breeze and formation of a glyph could be heard from the background.

"And to those that abandon our cause…?" Adam halted, blank icy orbs staring into the crowd.

"_You guys have to get him to infirmary quickly! Take that earpiece off of him and follow Ozpin's directions when you're back" _Yu screamed out of breath, crackles of electric sparks formed near his voice.

"_O-ok!"_ Barely managing to choke out a reply, Ruby had a sinking sense of dread cloud her heart as the radio suddenly sent out an ear splitting ring, followed by an explosion that managed to leave only static to be heard on all ends.

* * *

"Those who abandon us are traitors of Nyx and the Faunus!" a blood red arch cut across the air, ready to devour its target in once gruesome slice, cutting through the breeze it quickly came down like a viscous predatory pouncing on its prey, when a dark dagger intercepted its way, followed by a violent outburst of energy and a great flash of light and that blinded all in attendance.

"Blake!" Akira called out in the chaos, grabbing the girl's arm, pushing and shoving through hundreds of bodies that lined their way. Screams, shouts, and fear erupted in pandamania within the whiteness as thin veils of smoke and scraps of scrap metal rain down from the roof. Pulling out another flash grenade, Akira threw it at the front of the room, promptly charging a blast of concentrated energy of that light that shot through the two double doors keeping them trapped inside.

Akira!" He was forcefully yanked out of the way of an incoming katana blade that flew mere inches from his hair, cutting off a few unlucky strains flying into space. Turning around, Akira could make out the same masked man dashing out, trailing close behind. Running down a dark path of what seemed like a never ending maze, making a left and then stopping mid path, almost missing an opening on the right, the two made their way to the same alley they had waited in before, where a superheated blast of flames poured out from the other side to corner them among a few tipped over garbage.

"Did you think you could run from me Blake?" A disembodied growl came from the empty unlit darkness. First a familiar red blade emeraged, slowly it was coupled by its chuckling owner who nonchalantly strolled out. His towering figure blocking their only way out from the two enclosed concrete on either side.

"A-adam!" Blake jerked back, her body burned and ached from the chase, close to collapsing at the living embodiment of her fears. The same mask, the same aura, the same deathly smirk that had haunted her again and again in her dreams until she refused to sleep in the night.

"Why did you leave Blake? Was my justice not enough for you? Was our cause just a damn joke?!" Each word he spoke was like a corrosive venom that sank deeper and deeper into her veins, until it completely paraylized her in place.

Adam took a step forward. His mask burning its image into her soul.

"I..I.." In that moment all her world came to stop, her mind stopped, her body stopped, her resolve shattered like a fragile case of glass, its pieces being thinned and burned into dead ash.

"What? Can't even explain yourself? I should have never put my trust in you, you disgraceful wench!-" Knocked back by a stray dagger, Adam outstretched his own weapon to block the object, managing to shift all his weight onto his left foot from the back.

"Tch, is this the guy you mistook me for?" Akira said irate, conjuring another dagger from a glow of azure flames. "Now I'm really mad" He then lowered his volume to Blake. "You go on ahead, I'll wipe the floor with this jackass"

"But…"

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?!" Adam belted out a growing madness that gradually crescendoed volume. "Wait, don't tell me you ran off just to be with this guy!?" Rushing forwards with his movements seemingly a blur in the wind, Adam outstretched his katana in a wide circular blow, meeting head on with an aggressive downwards counter so forceful that it caused him to retreat a few paces back. Not giving a moment of rest, he launched a stray blade, surprising his opponent at such a close range that he had no choice to block, yet instead of making contact, a black mass flew out from the side tied to a thin line, knocking the deadly object out of the way.

"Blake?!"

"Why aren't you going?" Akira shouted, pulling a pistol from the flames. "If you're worried I can't drive this dipshit off by myself then-!"

"STOP!" Suddenly, everyone froze. The shout was enough to even pierce the thick tension of the atmosphere, leaving an eerie pause.

"What's wrong Blake? Can't leave your new boyfriend? Haha...you're a coward Blake! A worthless, spineless coward, so why don't you run as he said?! You can't do shit by yourself anyways-!"

"I said stop!" Sparks of brilliant stars scolded the masked man, the energy burning away on his red glowing blade. Blake slid another dust magazine into her gun. "I'm not running anymore! I'm not a coward! And I'm not going to abandon people anymore!" She gave Akira a tearful gaze, "You're the reason that kept me going in Vale. It weren't for you, I would be running even now" She could feel her arms weakening, her mind screaming for her to go, but stood her ground.

"So please, let me prove to myself that I can finally stand up on my own. To stand up for something I want to protect" No more nightmares, no more fears, no more unkillable monsters that would torment her throughout the night-

"Gah!" volcanic levels of heat erupted in her face, savagely eating away at her flesh while her aura blanked in and out of existence, leaving her with a sensation of burning alive in an eternal hell fire.

"WHAT TYPE OF BULLSHIT DO THINK YOU'RE ON NOW HUH!? YOU'RE A COWARD AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE! LEAVING OUR CAUSE!? LEAVING THE FAUNUS?! LEAVING ME?!"

Spiraling into a deranged madness his body twitches in irritation and bloodlust. "FINE! BE THAT WAY! THE FAUNUS MUST LIVE, THE FAUNUS MUST SURVIVE, THE FAUNUS MUST BRING THE NEW WORLD! AND THERE'S NO PLACE FOR YOU THERE BLAKE! YOU LYING, TRATRIOUS BITCH-"

"That's enough"

In the skip of a heart beat, all colors drained, all sounds muffled, and it's as time itself seemed to stop. No longer did the birds fly so gracefully above, nor did the city continue on with its fast paced night life as everything idle not unlike the scenes from pages of a storybook. Black, metallic tendrils shot up from the earth, twisting and weaving themselves in the uncontrolled mass that was forming all around them, alongside dazzling blue fire that engulfed and spread across the area, while a single red gloved hand reached out from within. It clasped a snaking chain, yanking it free from the ground, shooting forth a sparridc bombardment of energy, igniting the once dark alleyway in brilliant sparks, revealing two shapes that stood side by side by.

"You're beyond disgusting Adam" Blake's amber eyes glowed a raging melton gold, feeling a brand new surge of power coursing through her body, birthing a new rage that ignited within, fueling her with an imaginable supply of energy that she channeled into several concentrated dust charged strikes unleashing the first wave, delivering an onslaught meeting Adam head on, provoking the madman to dive face first into the explosions, slicing them apart with with his weapon and charging straight for her, only for him to get close enough to be tossed back by a violent fist that embed into his abdomen, scrambling his organs and sending him rolling into the dirt.

"Come on you dumb bitch! I dare you to come out and fight me!" clenching his chest, Adam spat out a few drops of red, exhaustingly dragging himself up with the help of his blade, "You amount to nothing without him!"

"Akira" Blake held out her hand, seeing the boy nod and giving her a gentle slap on the palm. Within seconds, the stored up energy from the persona user flows into the enraged faunus as she ran at Adam in a blinding light, finally unleashing years of pint of anger by clashing with the monster she ran from for so many years. Stars of white, red, blue, and gold were sent in every direction as she relentlessly hacked her troubles away. An impossible twist of the body and her left blade being blocked by a cold sword, only for her opponent to be knocked from the back by a familiar pair of red gloves, allowing her to aggressively throw down her right blade into his chest, slamming him into the hard concrete below.

"Ack!" Feeling his body was hurled to the ground with a loud sickening crack, shooting up plenty of dust and debray. He attempted to use his free hand to grab Blake by the arm and tossed her off to the side by throwing her into a pile of garbage. Springing up, he shot a blade at her before she could recover, the object hitting jabbing her side and pinning her back to the ground when he scrambled for his blade that now glowed an ominous red, leaving the stunned girl to frantically pick herself up with the deadly wave of red completely eviscerating the stack of garbage into an explosion of trash, missing her by mere seconds.

Unphased by the strike, Blake zigzagged her way back to her attacker, using the walls on either side of the alley as foothold before coming at Adam with her right blade, only to disappear and for to slice into a clone that seperated into a thousand fine stone pieces, obscuring his line of sight, giving Blake the chance to form another clone mid air and launching the large ice block at his back, but instead of being hit, he reacted to the attack by bisecting the clone in half. Pieces of shattered ice reflected in the shining Remnant moonlight, its beauty unmatched by anything on the planet, slowly making their way to the ground. The red of his blade being reflected in every piece.

"That was pathetic, is that all you've got Blake?!" Watching the shreds shimmer harmlessly in the night, he scoffed at her resolve, yet there was also a feeling of unnerve in that cold crystal shower. The more he observed, the more he began to realize…

"You know what these stones are right? This is for earlier you creep!"

His eyes widened, for it was late to run. He raised his blade to brace when suddenly all the crystals from before erupted into hundreds of destructive icy explosions expanding into the atmosphere, thousands of sickeningly sharp icicles jabbing into his Aura and throwing him into an erratic storm where every second of his existence was met by another moment of blunt force damage beating into his body into oblivion, or having the last of remaining Aura being leached by the neverending ice storm.

Thud. Crack. Pop.

"So have you had enough yet?" Blake saw his body finally slump to the floor, fresh gaping wounds leaking bright red liquid covered his entire body. It was clear his Aura had broken in the bufu storm long ago. Despite this, she could still make out small movements of the man trying to lift himself.

"Hck…I" He raised one hand in the air, his vision a wild whirlwind of hazy shapes.

"That human back then in that fire" Blake frowned, "He was reaching out this too wasn't he?" She approached the living shell of the man she once knew, pointing her blade, "Then do you think I should do the same thing to you, on what you did to him?"

"...I"

"I even checked after we left…" She choked, "He had people that cared about him too Adam. Do you know how they graved him when they found out what you did?" She began to shake, watching the lump below her struggle, "They blamed us, they blamed Faunus kind for existing. They blamed us that their father was gone"

"..."

"You want to know the reason I left Adam? The reason why I ran away like a coward?" she raised her blade, "It's because of monsters like us that people keep on hating the Faunus. I left because I realized we were in the wrong. I left because I realized spreading hate and violence wasn't the way to achieving our dreams"

SNAP

"!"

Tears, wet hot tears rolled down her cheeks and ripped onto his beaten body. Seeing her stabbing into a piece of block of ice beside him, he let out a weak gasp.

"But I'm not like you Adam. I refuse to go down the same path as you" She gently rose, giving him one last look.

"This is goodbye"

"Get back!" hot embers erupted from the darkness matched with two bright golden orbs. Blake launched her body back to be caught by Akira, where both endured another vengeful hell of blazing terror as it ate away at the super heated rock and concrete in the area, melting through layers of molten steel, when Akira put a hand to his mask to an overwhelming cascaded of glistening blue fighting back the monstrous orange shower. Strong azure heat soon morphed into layers of ice shooting up from the ground, furiously pushing back the other caster until the army of blue was able to completely devour the last remnants of the fire.

"Are you ok?" Taking a deep breath, he finally let her go. Watching for anymore movements from the other side.

"Y-yea. Thanks for shielding me earlier" Stunned by the immense power that was unleashed, it took for a few minutes for Blake to fully recover. "That attack...it felt like it came out of nowhere"

"His body, it's not there…" Narrowing his eyes, he hurried through the field of ice, inspecting the dried back and broken katana piece left behind.

"How did you see past all that ice?" Blake followed, noticing the absence of any evidence of their attacker from earlier.

"I have the ability to see people's auras" He picked up a broken sword piece, its once crimson edges burnt, "I don't think whoever came to pick him up was a coincidence either"

"Pick him up? I don't recall any of the White Fang knowing where we are" Blake mused out loud.

"No, but that doesn't mean someone else who gave him these Agi stones doesn't"

* * *

"Professor Ozpin!" wild golden locks burst forth from double doors, carrying a slumped over figure in her arms. The limbs of the body aimlessly dangled in space not unlike the movements of a corpse.

"Guys! What's wrong with him!?" Cheeks turning cherry in frustration, warm tears rolling down her eyes, Ruby stumbled closely behind her sister through the wide hospital halls.

"Ms. Rose, Ms. Xiao Long! Please, I need both of you to remain calm" Emerging from an unoccupied room, the headmaster guided the two inside where he instructed the girls to lay the body down in bed. Lowering a privacy curtain, his face became grim "Right now, the best we can do is let him recover on his own-"

"Are you kidding me?!" A slab of concrete burst from the tiles of the floor, Yang smashed her foot into the earth, "After everything he's been through is this all we can do?! He's been suffering long enough! Shouldn't we be able to do something about it?" She felt her limbs tremble under the immense pressure of an invisible force. A force so tremendous it glued her entire body in place. Yet, all this could not compare to the rampant war waging in her restless mind. Who was Minato Arisato? Where did he come from? What was happening to him now? Why did he just open himself and let them in?! Why her family? Why her brother?!

Then, words sharp as steel pierced through her fog.

"Yang! Just stop it!" Ruby gripped her sister's arm tightly, "I know you want to help him, but right now we know nothing about him!" her grip became tighter, choking on her every word, "after all...he is still a stranger from another world…" Ruby's shoulders slumped, refusing to eye the broken boy laying in bed.

"B-but didn't we make him promise that he didn't have to be alone anymore! That he needed to stop being so damn selfish!" She was desperate for answers, grasping at empty air for anything, anything that would help ground her panicked mind. Maybe it was because she knew she was powerless, maybe it was because she wanted to be there for someone that was always...strong in her eyes.

"Well don't you think he has his own reasons for hiding this too? Sis, Minato isn't the type to hide stuff from us for no good reason. You remember why he refused to tell us about his magic right?" Ruby said in a soft voice, "If I know anyone that is as stubborn as you, it's him"

"I…" Recalling the past few weeks with the blunette, it was hard to deny the vast amounts of information he had kept to himself. The lack of trust he had for anyone, even his own family was not enough to make him delvage anything from his past.

"If you want to know, why don't you let him spill out to you when he thinks you're ready?" Yang turned to see Akira close the door behind him. "I can assure you that even if you knew, you wouldn't be able to help"

"Why you!" Yang could feel her sister tug at her arm again, catching her mid walk. Ruby shook her, leaving the blonde to give a disgruntled huff at the dark haired Faunus. "Then why are you? Shouldn't you be back at the dorms with everyone else?"

"I came to check on his condition" Akira could feel the blonde's eyes burn into him, although to this he paid no mind as he parted the curtains to the room. Ozpin side stepped, allowing the boy through, letting him inspect the frozen bluenette in bed.

"How is he managing Mr. Kurusu? Any abnormalities?" Stoned white eyes and a face devoid of life, from an outsider's perspective, it would have seemed like the group were performing more of an autopsy than a health inspection. Large lumps of sweat trailed down his face, matting and distorting his hair into gross clumps. The bluenette's skin was sickly pale to the bone, and his joints still unbelievably rigid with the only sign of life being a faint pulse from his neck.

"Is he going to be alright Akira?" Ruby felt the bile in her stomach rise. What is she going to tell their father? How would their mother have handled this situation? Her older brother, sister, and father was all she had in this world.

Gingerly waving a hand in front of Minato's face, creating small swaths of wind, Akira stepped back, "This is the worst I've seen him react" No matter what he tried, he yielded no reaction from his downed leader. From gently picking up his hand, to alerting him with his voice. In the end, all he earned was the same hollow reply as all his other attempts.

"H-hold on, are you telling me he's been like this before?" Taken aback, Yang snapped her attention from Minato.

"Yes. This isn't the first" his expression unchanged, his tone blunt, Akira had no reaction to give the blonde. Not even a sign of guilt.

Yang clenched her fists, squeezing them so tight that she could probably draw blood from her nails, long locks obscuring her reddened face. "I'm...not going to ask about it…"

"You've made the right choice" Akira sighed in relief, going back to Ozpin who stood next to a panel monitoring Minato's vitals. "I'm not experienced in the medical field, but I would recommend a doctor for quick general care, but I'll be the one to monitoring him for now"

"I see. I will certainly screen the staff for someone capable of providing care without question" Ozpin put a hand to his chin in contemplation, "Although, shouldn't you consider the feelings of his immediate family as well"

Ruby could feel the headmaster's eyes pass between her and Yang, a signal for the two to come on in.

"Yea! We want to help Minato too! It'll lighten up your load for school too!" Ruby pleaded with glittering eyes. She could make out a faint smile from the headmaster in the back.

"Come on angry man, at least let us take care of him. We know what he's like when he's sick" Yang stood beside her brother and her sister. They were a family after all.

"A-angry man?" Akira's eye twitched.

"So how about it? Can you trust us for at least this?" Yang stepped forward.

* * *

"Hey dad"

"…."

"Yea everything's fine at Beacon"

"..."

"Yes, yes we haven't been in any trouble. Ruby and Minato are doing fine too"

"..."

"We miss you too dad. Take care"

Hanging up her scroll, Yang slumped onto the bench in the school courtyard. Her eyes facing the night sky. Tonight, not a single dark cloud rolled in to obscure the nighttime stars. The entire campus was quiet, say for the lonely lights that dotted the occasional window. They say these times were monsters and spirits would emerge from their dens to prey on humanity, but there was a different type of monster preying on her mind.

"Sorry dad…" mumbling to herself, she felt her sister lean into her for comfort.

"We can't let him worry about us more than he has to sis" Ruby whispered, "If mom were here...I bet she'd know what do"

"Mom wouldn't know Ruby. She would be just as clueless as us" She put an arm over her eyes, shielding them from the reality that was in front of her. "He didn't trust us enough to tell us, what makes you think he wouldn't do the same with mom?"

"Then why do you think he trusts Akira?" Deep down, Ruby felt a certain sense of jealousy that she tried to deny.

"Maybe because he's a persona user too? All of them looked like they've been through similar stuff?" Sounding annoyed, Yang refused to face even her own sister.

"No, what I meant was what made Akira himself trustworthy. I doubt Minato would tell just anyone, Personas users or not" Ruby paused thinking back to the male Faunus's words in the hospital, "Remember how he told us how we can have Minato explain it to us himself? What if he thinks we're not ready"

"Not ready?"

"Yea. He had reason to tell Akira his abilities first didn't he? Unlike us, he probably knew he could handle the load" Knowing how her sister reacted before in Ozpin's office, maybe it was best that their brother hid this for so long.

"I swear if he's hiding anything more like that I'm going to sock him right in the face" Crossing her arms, Yang huffed a long sigh. "If he thinks he can't trust us forever, then we'll have to make him accept us"

Then she heard her sister giggle.

"W-what?" Flustered, she jerked away from a laughing Ruby.

"I haven't seen you get this childish in a while sis" Her younger sibling smiled, "But yea, that's the plan. We have to let Minato know we can help"

"Y-yea!"

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere else on campus…

"Hey Blake" Akira sat awkwardly among a set of empty hospital chairs, his eyes focusing on nothing in particular.

"Yea?" Blake's ears perked up, reacting to the call.

"Can I ask you something?" he sounded uncomfortable. Just what could be bothering him she wondered.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Am I...angry?" Gesturing to himself with one finger, he wanted for an answer.

"H-huh?"

* * *

**Congrats to salty masked redhead for making his first appearance! Him and Akira are going to get along real will after that fight :/. Regarding the Adam scene, I really wanted him to grow like the others before v3 so he can move onto better things. He is going to have a slightly bigger role than he did in the show. Getting rid of his Blake obsession eary is probably for the best. **


End file.
